Dhahran attack on U.S. soldiers by Saudi hands

Saudi Minister of the Interior Prince Nayef Bin Abdul Aziz al-Saud said the attack which targeted US soldiers in Dhahran in 1996 was carried out by "Saudi hands."

Prince Nayef's statements carried by the Saudi News Agency seem to rule out suspicions that Iran was involved in the bombing of the Khobar Towers housing complex, which resulted in the deaths of 19 U.S. airmen.

Prince Nayef's statement come as relations between Saudi Arabia and Iran have been warming following contacts begun surrounding last year's summit of the Organization of the Islamic Conference in Tehran. Iran's relations with Arab Gulf states including Saudi Arabia have improved since the election last year of Iranian President Mohammed Khatami.

The US said previously that it suspects fugitive Saudi Arabian billionaire Osman Bin Laden of involvement in the attacks. Also, there were U.S. official complaints in the past of lack of Saudi cooperation in the matter as a result of Saudi Arabia's insistence that it can and should handle this internal investigation by itself without the need for help by F.B.I. and other U.S. institutions.

Prince Nayef went on to say that although there may be a foreign link to some terrorist organizations in Islamic countries and foreign authorities, "it is a difficult matter to present a material evidence for that."

Minister Nayef made it clear that the kingdom of Saudi Arabia will never tolerate the country to becoming a den for activities that serve certain political purposes under the cover of Islam. He criticized the efforts of certain foreign unnamed countries to link all terrorist acts with the Muslims.

Prince Nayef said that no country can be immune from terrorism.