Riyadh denies foiling a suicide operation against Israel

A spokesman for the Saudi Arabia's ministry of defense yesterday denied that the kingdom had foiled an air suicide operation by al-Qaida against Israel, as was stated by the Israeli mass media.

The Saudi spokesman was commenting on a statement by the commander of the Israeli air force issued by the Israeli media in this regard, in which he indicated that Riyadh foiled an air suicide operation which was presumed to be carried out by a Saudi pilot recruited by al-Qaida against Israel.

The spokesman said in his statement which was issued by the Saudi news agency that "this is untrue and baseless."

In 2003 Israeli complained against Tabook air base which is close to Eilat, and its mass media indicated pressure made by Washington on Saudi Arabia to withdraw scores of F-16 fighter planes positioned in the base. A matter which was rejected by Riyadh.