Saudi Questions, Dubai's Growing Diamond Role
By Douglas Farah
It is interesting to note that Saudi Arabia is hosting a major international terrorism conference these days. Lots of international representation there, including high-level U.S. folks, and visas for journalists were suddenly granted. Seems Saudi officials are anxious to show the world how far the fight against terrorism, particularly al Qaeda, has come in their land. Interesting that at the same time, Congressional investigators are questioning whether the Saudis have ever really set up their much-ballyhooed Financial Intelligence Unit. The FIU is supposed to be the lead institution in tracking terror finances, monitoring banks and charities and generally following financial intelligence to see that al Qaeda doesn't get its money. But it seems there is scant evidence the unit actually was set up, despite public announcements that is was functional. Like so much in the Kingdom, words and show far outstrip actual performance. It will be interesting to see what the truth is. Intersting to note in Sunday's Washington Post piece, even the claims of disbarring 2,000 clerics for extremist statements seems to be in doubt.
An interesting note passed on by an alert reader shows that Dubai, United Arab Emirates, is rapidly growing as a center for the African diamond trade. For rest of the blog, go here.
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