Saudi Arrests for Iraqi Terrorist Financing: Breakthrough or "Show Arrests"? (updated Feb. 4)

By Andrew Cochran

Readers of the Iraq Study Group report will recall that the ISG was highly critical of the disinterest shown by the Saudis and other Gulf states in stopping the terrorism in Iraq and assisting in stabilizing the country. Quoting from page 25 of the report:

These countries for the most part have been passive and disengaged. They have declined to provide debt relief or substantial economic assistance to the Iraqi government. Several Iraqi Sunni Arab politicians complained that Saudi Arabia has not provided political support for their fellow Sunnis within Iraq. One observed that Saudi Arabia did not even send a letter when the Iraqi government was formed, whereas Iran has an ambassador in Iraq. Funding for the Sunni insurgency comes from private individuals within Saudi Arabia and the Gulf States, even as those governments help facilitate U.S. military operations in Iraq by providing basing and overflight rights and by cooperating on intelligence issues.

Earlier this week, at the Hudson Institute's panel on "Combating Terrorist Financing and the 110th Congress, I noted that the Saudis, to the best of my knowledge, had never arrested anyone for providing material support to terrorists operating outside the Kingdom. And former Rep. Sue Kelly, who went to Saudi Arabia when she was in office to insist on their cooperation with the U.S., detailed the lack of a real Saudi financial intelligence unit. On January 15 of this year, I posted on this issue with links to previous posts and Congressional testimony by Steven Emerson, Olivier Guitta, Doug Farah, and Evan Kohlmann.

SURPRISE! Now the KSA has announced the arrest of 10 suspects for sending funds to other "suspected parties" who used the money in "dragging the sons of the nation to disturbed places," possibly alluding to Iraq. Details are sketchy at this writing, and I hope U.S. authorities can obtain more information. Is this a breakthrough towards real cooperation or just a "show arrest" to keep the new Democratic majority in the U.S. Congress from starting embarrassing investigations? Let's stay skeptical until we see more and hope it's real thing.

UPDATE, February 4: There is another possible explanation for the arrests, which I should have foreseen but did not - that those arrested might be dissidents arrested to stop their protests against the Saudi regime. The Bush Administration and Congress should press the Saudis for more information to ensure this isn't an exercise in the denial of basic human rights.

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