Reuters AlertNet Lite - Saudi arrests suspect in Frenchmen killing

Reuters AlertNet Full site

NEWSDESK

Saudi arrests suspect in Frenchmen killing - report

27 May 2007 17:14:56 GMT
Source: Reuters

RIYADH, May 27 (Reuters) - Saudi security services arrested a man suspected of helping al Qaeda-linked militants who shot dead four French tourists in February, an interior ministry spokesman.

The ministry identified the suspect as Majed al-Harbi, a prominent militant.

"The security forces have been following him," said the spokesman who asked not to be name. He said Harbi was arrested in the northern region of Hael. "There was no resistance during the operation."

The kingdom, a key U.S. ally, in April arrested eight other men in the same case and they remain in detention.

The main suspect in the attacks, Walled bin Mutliq al-Radadi, was killed earlier this month when police stormed a residential building in the Muslim holy city of Medina.

The Frenchmen, including a teenager, were killed by gunmen on Feb. 26 during a desert trip.

There was no claim of responsibility for the attack.

Islamic militants swearing allegiance to al Qaeda launched a violent campaign to topple the Saudi monarchy in 2003, carrying out suicide bomb attacks on foreign nationals and government installations, including the oil industry.

Tough security measures and a powerful publicity campaign helped crush the violence but analysts and diplomats have said the underlying currents of radical Islamic ideology and anger at Western policy in the region remain strong.

AlertNet news is provided by

Email this article Send comments

Countries

Small country map
© 2004 Europa Technologies Ltd.

Reset map

• Saudi Arabia profile
· View map

MORE >>

NGO latest

• Christian Aid joins green.tv
Christian Aid - UK

• Christian Aid comment on 5 April Gleneagles event
Christian Aid - UK

• Governments must invest to help poor people adapt to climate change
CARE International - UK

• Beware of hidden strings on EU's offer on trade
Christian Aid - UK

MORE >>

Latest news

• Saudi arrests suspect in Frenchmen killing - report

• Taliban says frees 3 workers for French aid group

• FEATURE-South Korea's troubled export: babies for adoption

• U.S. resupplies Lebanon army, battle for camp looms

• German court stops police ban on anti-G8 rallies

MORE >>

Last updated:Sun May 27 17:21:07 2007