US embassy cable - 94RIYADH6031

C O N F I D E N T I A L RIYADH 006031 
 
 
S/CT FOR REAP 
 
E.O.12356: OADR 
TAGS:  PTER 
SUBJECT:  SAUDI ARABIA: 1994 ANNUAL TERRORISM REPORT 
 
REF:  STATE 286744 
 
1.  (U)  SAG POLICY HAS NOT CHANGED SINCE THE ISSUANCE 
OF THE LAST TERRORISM REPORT.  THE SAG IS PRIMARILY 
CONCERNED WITH PREVENTING TERRORIST INCIDENTS DURING THE 
HAJJ, AND IS ALSO ALERT TO POTENTIAL IRANIAN- AND 
IRAQI-SPONSORED TERRORISM. 
 
2.  (U)  THE SAG DID NOT EXTRADITE OR REQUEST THE 
EXTRADITION OF TWO ETHIOPIANS WHO HIJACKED A SAUDIA 
AIRLINE FLIGHT FROM JEDDAH TO ADDIS ABABA AND FORCED IT 
TO LAND IN NAIROBI ON MARCH 8.  THE SAG DID NOT 
EXTRADITE OR REQUEST THE EXTRADITION OF AN ETHIOPIAN WHO 
HIJACKED AN ETHIOPIAN AIRFLINES FLIGHT FROM JEDDAH AND 
FORCED IT TO LAND IN SANA'A, YEMEN ON APRIL 25.  IT WAS 
REPORTED THAT IN BOTH INCIDENTS THE HIJACKERS WERE BEING 
DEPORTED AFTER ENTERING SAUDI ARABIA ILLEGALLY OR 
ILLEGALLY OVERSTAYING THEIR PILGRIMAGE VISAS, AND NOT 
POLITICAL TERRORISTS. 
 
3.  (C)  ALTHOUGH BOTH HIJACKINGS OCCURRED OUTSIDE SAUDI 
AIRSPACE, THESE TWO INCIDENTS RAISE QUESTIONS ABOUT THE 
ABILITY OF SAUDI AUTHORITIES TO DETECT AND RESPOND TO 
TERRORIST INCIDENTS.  SAUDI AIRPORT SECURITY WAS 
INADEQUATE TO DETECT THE HIJACKING THREAT.  SAUDI CIVIL 
AVIATION AND DIPLOMATIC COMMUNICATIONS PROCEDURES WERE 
INADEQUATE IN RESPONDING TO THE INCIDENTS; THE SAUDI 
GOVERNMENT WAS INFORMED THAT THE MARCH 8 INCIDENT WAS IN 
PROGRESS BY U.S. EMBASSY OFFICIALS.  AIRLINE SECURITY 
HAS INCREASED SINCE THE INCIDENT, AND POLICIES AND 
PROCEDURES TO HANDLE TERRORIST INCIDENTS ALREADY EXIST. 
HOWEVER, THE RELEVANT SAUDI MINISTRIES AND AGENCIES DID 
NOT FOLLOW THEIR POLICIES AND PROCEDURES IN EITHER CASE, 
WHICH RAISES QUESTIONS WHETHER SAUDI FORCES WILL PERFORM 
BETTER IN FUTURE HIJACKINGS. 
 
4.   (C)  REPORTS OF "FRIENDLY-FIRE" INJURIES AND 
CASUALTIES BY THE SAUDI ANTI-TERRORIST POLICE SQUAD 
DURING A RECENT NON-TERRORIST HOSTAGE-TAKING RAISE 
QUESTIONS ABOUT THE SAUDI ABILITY TO RESPOND 
APPROPRIATELY TO FUTURE TERRORIST HOSTAGE INCIDENTS (SEE 
SEPTEL). 
 
5.  (U)  THE SAUDI GOVERNMENT REVOKED THE CITIZENSHIP OF 
OSAMA BIN LADIN, A SAUDI KNOWN TO SUPPORT EXTREMIST 
GROUPS AND SUSPECTED OF FINANCING TERRORISM IN YEMEN, 
SUDAN, AFGHANISTAN, EGYPT, LEBANON, AND THE OCCUPIED 
TERRITORIES.  MINISTRY OF INTERIOR OFFICIALS SAID THAT 
BIN LADEN'S CITIZENSHIP WAS REVOKED BECAUSE HE HAD 
FAILED TO FOLLOW GOVERNMENT DIRECTIVES TO RETURN TO 
SAUDI ARABIA TO ANSWER CHARGES AND BECAUSE OF HIS 
"IRRESPONSIBLE ACTIVITIES WHICH CONTRADICTED THE 
KINGDOM'S INTERESTS AND HARMED ITS RELATIONS WITH 
SISTERLY COUNTRIES."  BIN LADEN IS BANNED FROM 
RE-ENTERING THE KINGDOM. 
 
6.  (U)  THERE WERE SEVERAL REPORTS THAT THE SAG IS OR 
HAS BEEN FUNDING TERRORIST GROUPS IN EGYPT, ALGERIA AND 
ISRAEL.  THERE WERE ALSO REPORTS THAT THE INTERNATIONAL 
ISLAMIC RELIEF ORGANIZATION, A SAUDI-GOVERNMENT- 
SPONSORED ORGANIZATION, WAS FINANCING EXTREMIST MUSLIM 
SECESSIONIST GROUPS IN THE SOUTHERN PHILIPPINES.  POST 
HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO CONFIRM ANY LINKS BETWEEN THE SAUDI 
GOVERNMENT AND TERRORIST GROUPS. 
 
7.  (U)  SAUDI AUTHORITIES HAVE REPEATEDLY STATED THAT 
THE SAUDI GOVERNMENT DOES NOT FUND TERRORIST GROUPS, AND 
THAT NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS AND PRIVATE 
VOLUNTARY ORGANIZATIONS MUST OBTAIN FORMAL GOVERNMENT 
AUTHORIZATION TO COLLECT CONTRIBUTIONS FOR DOMESTIC OR 
INTERNATIONAL CAUSES.  ON OCTOBER 26, THE SAUDI 
GOVERNMENT ISSUED A STATEMENT CONDEMNING TERRORISM, 
ESPECIALLY TERRORIST OPERATIONS THAT HINDER THE MIDDLE 
EAST PEACE PROCESS AND TRY TO DISTURB THE SECURITY OF 
THE REGION. 
 
 
WELCH