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Saudi Arabia: Explosives Expert Surrenders after 7 Years of Qaeda Service | ASHARQ AL-AWSAT English Archive 2005 -2017
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Osama Ali Damjan


Riyadh- Saudi Arabia announced on Tuesday that al Qaeda’s Osama Ali Damjan, no.12 on the wanted list of 85 terrorists, has turned himself in to authorities. Damjan expressed his desire of returning to the Kingdom after spending over seven years abroad travelling from one warzone to another.

Damjan has served al Qaeda in each of Pakistan, Afghanistan and Iran. The wanted fugitive had been recruited by the ultra-hardline terror group for his skills with explosive manufactures.

Osama Ali Abdullah Damjan had contacted security services from abroad expressing a willingness to surrender.

A security spokesman for the Ministry of Interior stated that Damjan arrived in the Kingdom on Tuesday, Oct. 4.

The Security spokesman further said that the fugitive will be treated in according to law. He also renewed the call by the Ministry of the Interior for all those wanted to surrender themselves to security authorities and desert any radical group that only harbors ill will for the Islamic nation, the Saudi state news agency said.

Special authorities arranged for Damjan’s arrival, vetting and medical inspection, the security spokesman added. A meeting with his parents was also fixed.

Information procured by Asharq Al-Awsat shows that Damjan had left for Afghanistan seven years ago, at 24, and has not made a return to the Kingdom since then.

Iran had also played a chief role with hosting al Qaeda fighters and providing safe quarters for operations management as of 2007. Wanted terrorists travelled freely inside Iran, sources said.

Tehran had helped in backing al Qaeda terrorists with plotting attacks against Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Jordan.