Riyadh, Asharq Al-Awsat- Saudi Arabian Second Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior, Prince Naif Bin Abdulaziz, confirmed that the failed attack on the Assistant Minister of Interior for Security Affairs, Prince Mohammed Bin Naif, did not put an end to the open-door policy for militants to repent.
Prince Naif described the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosque’s, King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz’s visit of Prince Mohammed Bin Naif immediately after the attack as “the greatest medal on the chest of Prince Mohammed.”
In an open meeting held with businessmen yesterday evening at the Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Jeddah, Second Deputy Prime Minister, Prince Naif, expressed his distress at the arrest of a group of suspected terrorists in Saudi Arabia last week, including suspects who held higher education degrees. Prince Naif described this as “unfortunate” and asked “where is the religious and national sense?”
Prince Naif also reiterated that members of the security are being targeted, saying “we believe that nothing befalls us that is not written by God. Such events will not change our approach. The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosque’s and the Crown Prince’s doors are open to the citizens…and God is the protector. A good foundation will not change because of one individual incident…there is nothing to fear except for God himself.”
Yemeni Foreign Minister, Abu Bakr al-Qirbi, revealed that the Jeddah suicide bomber targeted Prince Mohamed Bin Naif, came from an area in Yemen which is a well known haven for members of Al Qaeda. This was information initially revealed by Asharq Al-Awsat yesterday.
In his statement to the Associated Press [AP], al-Qirbi revealed that the suicide bomber came from the area of Mareb, east of Sanaa. The Yemeni Foreign Minister also confirmed the report published by Asharq Al-Awsat yesterday, which was that the suicide bomber claimed that he wanted to surrender himself to Prince Mohammed.
Asked by Asharq Al-Awsat yesterday whether this assassination attempt may have been planned from abroad, Interior Ministry spokesman Major General Mansour al-Turki answered “This cannot be excluded.”
The Interior Ministry investigation to uncover the circumstances surrounding the failed assassination attempt is ongoing. Asharq Al-Awsat first received information from informed sources that the suicide bomber was on the list of 85 suspects wanted by the Interior Ministry on terrorism charges.