The Hindu : Powell sees Al-Qaeda's hand

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, May 14, 2003

International

International

Powell sees Al-Qaeda's hand

By Atul Aneja

MANAMA May 13. Amid a spate of suicide bombings in which at least 10 U.S. nationals were killed, the U.S. Secretary of State, Colin Powell, arrived in Riyadh this morning.

In closely coordinated incidents, a string of massive car bomb attacks last night rocked Riyadh's three plush residential compounds, resided mainly by westerners and foreigners of other nationalities.

A fourth car bomb went off on Tuesday morning outside the headquarters of Siyanco, a joint U.S.-Saudi owned company, without causing much damage. Gen. Powell on arrival from Amman confirmed that at least 10 Americans had been killed. Two Filipinos and an Australian were also believed killed in these incidents, taking the death toll to 13.

A U.S. official reportedly said that overall casualties appeared to be in the hundreds. British, German, French, Australian and other Arab citizens were among the dead and wounded, apart from several personnel of the Saudi National Guard. Casualty figures were expected to mount as identification of bodies disfigured by the blasts was becoming difficult.

Eyewitnesses reported that the bombings had wrecked 16 housing blocks in one location, while a multi-story building housing single American men has been devastated in another. ``Terrorism strikes everywhere and everyone,'' Gen. Powell said after arrival. "It is a threat to the civilized world.'' While no one has claimed responsibility for the attacks, Gen. Powell said the bombings "had the earmarks of Al-Qaeda.'' ``I believe Al-Qaeda has been weakened, but it has not been destroyed,'' he told a news conference earlier Tuesday in Amman.

Hub of activities

Analysts point out that the bombings and events in the preceding one-month indicate that Saudi Arabia is beginning to succeed Afghanistan as the hub of the Al-Qaeda activities.

On May 7, 19 men, including 17 Saudis had escaped from a shootout when a major Al-Qaeda attack that targeted the Saudi Interior and Defence Ministers was foiled. This incident was fourth in a string of terrorist strikes in Saudi Arabia in the last one month.

In an indication that the Al-Qaeda may have now re-grouped, an E-mail message to a Saudi newspaper quoted the Al-Qaeda spokesman, Thabet ibn Qais, that "an attack against America was inevitable".

Mr. Thabet reportedly said that the Al- Qaeda had "carried out changes in its leadership and sidelined the September 11, 2001 team." He added, "future missions have been entrusted to a new team which is well protected against the U.S. intelligence services." The old Al-Qaeda leadership, he said, was unaware of these changes.

Diplomatic sources see last night's terror strikes sharpening the polarisation between the extremists and moderates inside Saudi Arabia. With the incident causing significant American casualties and the Al-Qaeda seeking to reassemble in Saudi Arabia, the moderate Saudi leadership may have no option but to mount a sustained campaign against the network, with U.S. help. This is, however, going to result in stiff resistance as anti-U.S. sentiments in Saudi Arabia, especially after the Iraq-war, are high.

Besides, the extremists reportedly have significant pockets of influence within Saudi Arabia's ruling elite that could weaken a counter-terror campaign. But aware of the high costs involved, the Saudi Foreign Minister, Saud al Faisal, who received Gen. Powell, hinted that Riyadh might not hesitate to take tough measures.

Monday's attacks, he said "should increase our efforts and should make us not hesitate to take whatever measures that are needed to oppose these people, who know only hate, only killing.''

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