US freezes assets of Saad Allah al-Faqih over possible ties with al-Qaida

The Saudi authorities froze the assets of the Saudi opposition member who lives in London, Saad al-Faqih, and another citizen Adel Batreji. The decision was taken over suspects that the two men are giving financial and material support to al-Qaida organization.

The US treasure department said it verified the leader of al-Islah movement Saad al-Faqih and Adel Batreji as two international terrorists and will ask an international committee to list them to the list of terrorists who have links to Taliban movement and al-Qaida organization and its leader Osama Bin Laden.

Al-Faqih is considered among opposition figures for the Saudi regime. He presides over "The Islamic reform movement in Saudi Arabia," which seeks to topple the monarchy by peaceful means.

However, Adel Batreji runs an Islamic charity foundation in Saudi Arabia and is considered by the American Treasury department as one of the " main sponsors for terrorism in the world."

In a telephone call with al-Jazeera TV on Tuesday, the Saudi opposition member in London said that Washington seeks through its decision to harass the opposition for protecting the Saudi royal family.

Al-Faqih denies his organization to have accounts or assets in the USA. He indicated "we have a current account in Britain and not investments" and that the American decision will not affect the activity of his movement which only have few hundreds of Sterling pounds.

In other statements, al-Faqih denied any links to terrorism or al-Qaida organization, noting that his movement's call to organize demonstrations in Saudi Arabia has constituted a danger on the Saudi regime and it is the interests of Washington to protect the royal family.

Commenting on the American decision, the director of the Saudi Institute in Washington Ali al-Ahmad said in a similar telephone call with al-Jazeera that the aim of the American step is to please Saudi Arabia, noting that Riyadh will be happy if al-Faqih who is considered as dangerous for it, will be silenced.