US embassy cable - 95RIYADH5382

UNCLAS RIYADH 005382 
 
 
S/CT FOR REAP 
 
E.O.12356: N/A 
TAGS:  PTER, SA 
SUBJECT:  SAUDI ARABIA:  1995 ANNUAL TERRORISM REPORT 
 
REF:  STATE 245276 
 
1.  THE FOLLOWING ARE KEYED TO POINTS IN REFTEL. 
 
A.  (U)  IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING THE NOVEMBER 13 BOMBING OF THE 
RIYADH HEADQUARTERS OF THE OFFICE OF PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT, 
SAUDI ARABIAN NATIONAL GUARD (OPM/SANG), WHICH KILLED SEVEN 
PERSONS, INCLUDING FIVE AMERICANS, AND INJURED MORE THAN FORTY 
OTHERS, THE SAG LAUNCHED AN AGGRESSIVE INVESTIGATION IN FULL 
COOPERATION WITH THE USG.  THIS INCLUDED PROVIDING COMPLETE 
SUPPORT TO AN FBI INVESTIGATION TEAM.  INCREASED SECURITY 
MEASURES FOR AMERICAN FACILITIES WERE INSTITUTED UNDER THE 
DIRECTION OF SENIOR SAUDI LEADERS, AND THE TWO GOVERNMENTS 
ENTERED INTO A DEEPER DIALOGUE ON COUNTERTERRORISM MEASURES IN 
GENERAL.  THE INVESTIGATION CONTINUES APACE.  THERE WERE NO 
OTHER ACTS OF INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM OR SIGNIFICANT ACTS OF 
DOMESTIC TERRORISM, BY DEPARTMENT OF STATE DEFINITION, IN SAUDI 
ARABIA THIS YEAR, AND NO CASES ARE PENDING FROM PREVIOUS YEARS. 
 
B.  (U)  THE SAG WAS NOT FORTHCOMING WHEN THE USG, ACTING ON A 
TIP FROM AN INFORMANT, REQUESTED SAUDI ASSISTANCE IN DETAINING 
A TERRORIST IDENTIFIED IN PRESS REPORTS AS HIZBALLAH SPECIAL 
SECURITY CHIEF IMAD MUGHNIYAH.  THE LATTER WAS REPORTEDLY 
SCHEDULED TO MAKE A STOPOVER APRIL 7 IN JEDDAH, SAUDI ARABIA, 
EN ROUTE FROM KHARTOUM TO BEIRUT.  THE USG REQUESTED THAT THE 
SAUDIS ARREST MUGHNIYAH UPON ARRIVAL IN JEDDAH AND TURN HIM 
OVER TO OFFICIALS FOR TRANSPORT TO THE UNITED STATES TO STAND 
TRIAL FOR HIS INVOLVEMENT IN THE HIJACKING OF TWA FLIGHT 847 IN 
1985.  THE SAG REFUSED THE PLANE PERMISSION TO LAND IN SAUDI 
ARABIA. 
 
C.  (U)  THERE ARE NO LEGAL OR POLITICAL IMPEDIMENTS TO SAG 
PROSECUTION OF PERSONS COMMITTING TERRORIST ACTS WITHIN SAUDI 
ARABIA.  NO FORMAL EXTRADITION TREATIES EXIST BETWEEN SAUDI 
ARABIA AND MOST OTHER COUNTRIES, INCLUDING THE UNITED STATES. 
 
D.  (U)  SAUDI LEADERS AT EVERY LEVEL--INCLUDING KING FAHD, 
CROWN PRINCE ABDULLAH, AND CABINET MINISTERS--ISSUED FORCEFUL 
STATEMENTS CONDEMNING THE NOVEMBER 13 OPM/SANG BOMBING AND ITS 
PERPETRATORS.  OFFICIAL MEDIA CARRIED EXTENSIVE REPORTS OF 
CONDEMNATION OF THE ATTACK ON U.S. FACILITIES ISSUED BY PUBLIC, 
RELIGIOUS, AND PRIVATE GROUPS.  THE MEDIA WERE SIMILARLY 
DEPLOYED TO PUBLICIZE SAG COOPERATION WITH THE UNITED STATES IN 
INVESTIGATING THE BOMBING AND TO APPEAL FOR PUBLIC ASSISTANCE 
IN IDENTIFYING THE PERPETRATORS. 
 
--  IN JULY, THE SAG RELEASED A PUBLIC STATEMENT CONDEMNING THE 
KIDNAPPINGS OF THE FIVE WESTERNERS IN KASHMIR AS COUNTER TO THE 
TENETS OF ISLAM AND CALLED FOR THE IMMEDIATE RELEASE OF THE 
HOSTAGES, AS DID SENIOR SAUDI RELIGIOUS LEADERS UPON THE URGING 
OF THE SAG.  IN NOVEMBER, THE SAG JOINED IN CONDEMNING THE 
ASSASSINATION OF YITZHAK RABIN AND THE BOMBING OF THE EGYPTIAN 
EMBASSY IN ISLAMABAD, PAKISTAN. 
 
E.  (U)  THE SAG UNDERTOOK NO MAJOR COUNTERTERRORISM EFFORTS IN 
INTERNATIONAL FORUMS IN 1995.  HOWEVER, THE SAG DID CONDUCT A 
MAJOR INVESTIGATION OF THE OPM/SANG BOMBING AND PROVIDED 
OUTSTANDING SUPPORT TO THE USG'S OWN INVESTIGATION OF THE ATTACK. 
 
F.  (U)  THE SAG OFFICIALLY DENIES IT FINANCIALLY SUPPORTS 
INTERNATIONAL TERRORIST GROUPS OR ACTIVITIES, AND SINCE APRIL 
1993 SAUDI REGULATIONS HAVE REQUIRED NON-GOVERNMENTAL 
ORGANIZATIONS (NGOS) AND PRIVATE VOLUNTARY AGENCIES COLLECTING 
CONTRIBUTIONS FOR DOMESTIC OR INTERNATIONAL CAUSES TO OBTAIN 
FORMAL SAG AUTHORIZATION.  THERE CONTINUE TO BE UNCONFIRMED 
REPORTS OF FINANCIAL TIES BETWEEN TERRORIST GROUPS AND SOME 
PRIVATE SAUDI-BASED NGOS. 
 
G.  (U)  THE SAG DID NOT MAKE PUBLIC STATEMENTS IN SUPPORT OF 
ANY OF THE SEVEN COUNTRIES CURRENTLY ON THE USG'S SO-CALLED 
"TERRORISM LIST" ON A TERRORISM ISSUE.  ON APRIL 20, THE SAG 
ALLOWED A LIBYAN AIRLINES JET CARRYING LIBYAN HAJJ PILGRIMS TO 
LAND AT JEDDAH'S INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, BE SERVICED, AND DEPART 
IN VIOLATION OF UNSC SANCTIONS IMPOSED ON LIBYA BECAUSE OF ITS 
INVOLVEMENT IN INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM.  THREE WEEKS PRIOR TO 
THE FLIGHT, MINISTER OF INTERIOR PRINCE NAIF HAD COMMENTED 
PUBLICLY THAT ALL PILGRIMS WITH VALID HAJJ VISAS WOULD BE 
RECEIVED BY SAUDI ARABIA, REGARDLESS OF THEIR MEANS OF 
TRANSPORTATION. 
 
H.  (U)  THE UNSOLVED NOVEMBER 13 BOMBING OF THE OPM/SANG 
HEADQUARTERS IN RIYADH HAS GREATLY HEIGHTENED SAG CONCERNS 
ABOUT THE THREAT OF DOMESTIC TERRORISM.  THE SAUDI GOVERNMENT 
ALSO DOES NOT RULE OUT THE POTENTIAL FOR FOREIGN-SPONSORED 
INCIDENTS, INCLUDING DURING HAJJ.  ACCORDING TO PRESS ACCOUNTS, 
THERE MAY ALSO EXIST OFFICIAL CONCERN THAT THE WAR IN 
AFGHANISTAN ATTRACTED SAUDI AND OTHER PARTICIPANTS WHO RECEIVED 
TRAINING IN THE USE OF EXPLOSIVES AND OTHER WEAPONS.  SUCH 
INDIVIDUALS MAY NOW ENGAGE IN TERRORIST ACTIVITIES IN THE ARAB 
WORLD AND ELSEWHERE, INCLUDING SAUDI ARABIA. 
 
MABUS