RIYADH - Saudi Oil Minister Ali Naimi said on Tuesday that the kingdom has invested heavily in security for its oil installations and the threat of attacks against them is almost "impossible."
| This guy is wearing a giant "kick me" sign on his ass. |
Naimi said any attacks, should they happen, would not impact Saudi Arabia's oil production and exports. "Although a high level of security has been in place for decades on oil installations, we have, over the past year, taken additional measures to negate any possibility of a terror act, even if this possibility is slim," he said.
Naimi spoke on the sidelines of a four-day anti-terrorism conference, which wrapped up Tuesday. Delegates from more than 50 countries and international organizations urged in a joint declaration closer cooperation and coordination among nations in the fight against terrorism.
Late last year, Osama bin Laden, the leader of the Al Qaeda terror network, urged his followers to attack the kingdom's oil installations to weaken both the West and the Saudi royal family. "The oil installations have not been attacked, despite the aim of the terror leaders. Oil installations in the kingdom are under concentrated protection on different levels, which makes it difficult, if not impossible, for terrorists to reach them. If it happens, the impact on the kingdom's production and exports will be negligible," Naimi said.
Terror attacks in the kingdom have targeted security forces and foreign workers, some employed in the oil industry, but none have been against oil installations. Naimi said that there has been a "substantial effort exerted by the kingdom in protecting its facilities. There is always more to be done, but I think we are confident today that our facilities are very, very inaccessible to intruders."
"Any statement by leaders of terror organizations about our facilities will always be taken seriously," Naimi said. State-run oil company Saudi Aramco boasted 7,000 security staff some of whom are furriners and actually know what they're doing and "our objective is zero-impact of terror activities on all our facilities."
Pressed on the departure of some essential foreign workers in the wake of attacks last year, Naimi said: "There's no need for anxiety in this area. It has been sensationalized more than it should be. I believe the reaction by a few countries to discourage their citizens from coming to Saudi Arabia was somewhat exaggerated."
| "I mean, there's less than a one in four chance they'll be decapitated," he explained further. |
Saudi Arabia, he added, is far more secure than many other oil-producing countries.
| Doncha just feel reassured? |
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