The most senior member of al Qaeda so far has turned himself in to Saudi authorities, Saudi sources say. Othman Al-Omari, number 19 on Saudi Arabia’s most wanted list of 26, accepted the king’s offer of amnesty, which was made last week, according to Saudi sources Monday. Al-Omari, who turned himself in on Sunday night, was a business partner of Shaban Al Shihri -- the first al Qaeda member to accept the amnesty when he turned himself in Friday. Al-Omari and Al Shihri shared a vegetable stall in a market in Medina. Al Shihri, according to sources, was in part responsible for persuading Al Omari to turn himself in. Sources said the most wanted list of 26 was not arranged in order of importance.
"We are announcing for the last time that we are opening the door to repentance and for those to return to righteousness," Crown Prince Abdullah said in a televised address last Wednesday. "To everyone who has gone out of the righteous way and has committed a crime in the name of religion and to everyone who belongs to that group that has done itself a disservice, everyone who has been captured in terror acts is given the chance to come back to God if they want to save their lives, their souls," Abdullah said. "If they give themselves up without force within one month maximum from the date of this speech, we can promise them that they are going to be safe." Abdullah said all such people would be dealt with fairly, in accordance with Islamic law. "If they are wise and they accept it, then they are saved. And if they snub it, then God is not going to forbid us from hitting them with our force, which we get from our dependence on God." |