Riyadh: No Saudis in Pakistan al-Qaida detainees; Charity societies continue activities

The Saudi minister of the interior prince Nayef Bin Abdul Aziz said that Pakistan did not notify his country of arresting any Saudi citizen among the ten persons who were arrested last week and suspected to be members in al-Qaida organization.

In a press statement upon his arrival on Monday evening in Riyadh coming from Jeddah, replying to a question on the possibility of having Saudis among those who are arrested recently from al- Qaida organization in Pakistan that the "Kingdom received nothing formal to this effect." He added "we follow up matters."

However, the Saudi ambassador to Pakistan Ali Oseiri denied on Monday the existence of Saudis among the ten- member group which was arrested last week in Karachi.

Ambassador Oseiri said in issued statements "there are no Saudis among the detainees." He stressed he received assertions from the Pakistani government to this effect.

Last Sunday, news reports said that the Pakistani police continued during the end of last week chasing members of al-Qaida organization in two of Karachi quarters at least, following its success on Wednesday in arresting Ramzi Bin al-Sheiba, of the Yemeni nationality, the assumed coordinator of September 11 attacks in the USA.

On the other hand, the Saudi establishments and societies working in the relief domains stressed their determination to continue their work, despite the accusations of supporting terrorism for which they were targeted following the attacks of September 11, 2001 in New York and Washington.

The director general of the al-Karmin charity society, Aqeel al-Aqeel, said in a statement to the Saudi daily al-Watan issued on Tuesday that the "Islamic charity is in a good position and what is needed is unity and coordination among the Islamic charities."