| Submit your comments on this article |
| Arabia |
| Saudi: Bin Laden Used 9/11 to Hurt Saudis |
| 2003-09-10 |
| Hipboots required. EFL: American counterterrorism officials believe the al-Qaida terrorist network primarily used Saudi Arabian men in the Sept. 11 attacks because they were easy to recruit and bring into the United States. But a Saudi official says Osama bin Laden sought out his countrymen to hurt the kingdom. "Really, he did it to attack us! Hello, are you listening? Hello?" The Saudi official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity (first name Prince?) , said that bin Laden, who was born in Saudi Arabia, personally insisted that the attacks be carried out by a group mostly composed of Saudis. The official said that suspected Sept. 11 mastermind Khalid Shaikh Mohammed has told his CIA interrogators that the original plan was to use a more diverse group, until bin Laden changed the plan to hurt Saudi Arabia and Saudi-U.S. relations. CIA officials declined to comment on Mohammed’s interrogation and would not confirm the Saudi official’s statements. "He said what?" But the notion that bin Laden, the al-Qaida leader, set out to hurt the Saudis with the Sept. 11 attacks doesn’t hold much water in U.S. counterterrorism circles. U.S. officials say al-Qaida drew heavily from Saudis because there were plenty who were willing to support the network’s goals. Before the attacks, it was also easier for Saudis to receive visas to enter the United States than for people from some other countries. Thank you, State Department. |
| Posted by:Steve |
| #3 Saudis playing the victim card - sounds like grounds for justifiable homicide |
| Posted by: Frank G 2003-9-10 8:06:59 PM |
| #2 Those 15 grand would allow her to buy a LOT of bullets for her execution. |
| Posted by: JFM 2003-9-10 2:30:07 PM |
| #1 In fact the idiot who came up with the 'Visa Express' program for SA recently (post 9/11) received a big BONUS for insituting the program. In October [2002], the State Department awarded a $15,000 "outstanding performance" bonus to the head of the office that permitted 13 of the 19 Sept. 11 hijackers to enter the country via expedited U.S. visas. Mary Ryan, who retired in September after a 36-year tenure (reportedly eased out after she defended her "visa express" program even after Sept. 11), received the award specifically for the 12-month period beginning April 2001. The express program, which was spearheaded by the U.S. Consul General in Riyadh, Thomas Furey (who also got a bonus), allowed Saudi nationals to apply over the Internet without ever being seen by a U.S. official. [Washington Times, 10-23-02] |
| Posted by: CrazyFool 2003-9-10 1:29:35 PM |