Saudi Arabia yesterday offered all-out support to Britain in its bid to track down the criminals behind Thursday's London bombings. It also called for joint international efforts to dry up sources of terrorism. "On behalf of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Fahd and myself, I strongly condemn this heinous crime and express the Kingdom's full readiness to extend whatever help required by our friends in Britain," Crown Prince Abdullah told British Prime Minister Tony Blair.During a telephone conversation yesterday, Prince Abdullah and Blair reviewed the aftermath of the blasts that claimed several innocent lives. "These acts reflect the cowardice and meanness of their perpetrators, irrespective of their ideologies," the Saudi Press Agency quoted the crown prince as telling the premier. Blair thanked the crown prince and commended Saudi Arabia's bold stand against terrorism.
In a separate statement, Interior Minister Prince Naif also voiced the Kingdom's support to Britain. "It is a crime by all standards and we hope the British security agencies catch those behind the blasts," he said. "We have expressed our readiness to provide them with whatever information we have," SPA quoted the minister as telling reporters in Riyadh. While denouncing the attacks, Foreign Minister Prince Saud Al-Faisal said an all-out global battle was required to combat terrorism and called for the cooperation of all countries to stamp out the scourge.
Prince Naif also said that the Kingdom was ready to deal with those Saudis who have gone to Iraq to fight alongside insurgents. "We expect only worse from those who have gone to Iraq," he told reporters. Asked whether the government had any plan to issue a new royal amnesty to help wanted terrorists surrender, Prince Naif said: "The matter of amnesty must be decided by Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Fahd and Crown Prince Abdullah." However, he emphasized that those surrendering to authorities would be "given exceptional treatment and their punishment would be reduced."