Saudis 'hold 170 terror suspects'

[muriel_volestrangler]

Source: BBC

More than 170 terror suspects have been arrested in Saudi Arabia, officials there have said.

Those detained are said to be both Saudi and foreign nationals, Interior Ministry spokesman Gen Mansur al-Turki told local media.

Large amounts of weapons and $5.33m (£2.67m) in cash were also seized.

Some of the suspects were training as pilots and planning attacks on oil installations and military bases, according to the interior ministry.

Read more: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/6599963.stm

---

But if there's a government whose propaganda (and subsequent 'justice' process) is less reliable than the US or UK, it's Saudi Arabia.

[Buzz Clik]

1. Interesting. They give us terror suspects. What do we give in return?

stay tuned.

[redirish28]

2. My wife heard it on TV msnbc... The anchor just got done talking

to an "expert" who said gas would go up to about $4.00 and then this came as breaking news.

She thinks her tin foil hat is going crazy again.

[joshcryer]

3. Saudis arrest 172 militants in plot, seize $32M arms cache.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070427/ap_on_re_mi_ea/saudi_terror_sweep

I wonder why the BBC puts that in 'quotes.' If you have $32 million arms cache, then, uh, you're probably up to no good. I think. I could be wrong. Sadly I doubt this will have any impact on Saudi funding of terrorism in other areas (ie, Iraq).

[Tempest]

4. Did it really happen?

Or are the Saudis using centrifuge to jack up oil prices?

[joshcryer]

6. How do terror *arrests* jack up oil prices?

I would think terror *attacks* would jack up oil prices.

[Tempest]

9. The threat of an attack is enough

Stock and commodity markets are fueled by perceived and actual threats.

[muriel_volestrangler]

10. BBC typically uses quotes when reporting other media

I think it indicates they didn't get this directly from the Saudi authorities, but indirectly through the 'local media' the story talks about.

[treestar]

5. Arrest in Saudi Arabia has no requirement of probable cause

and no right to trial. We only know what we are told, here.

[joshcryer]

7. If the facts are true about a $32M weapons cache, then they don't deserve a trial.

I'm serious.

[ohio2007]

8. It depends how far up they are 'connected' in the House of Saud

Certain family members will be able to buy an innocent verdict....... I doubt the Saudi police will release all 170 names....
?
then again,
maybe the actual # nabbed was over 200 ?
They chop the heads off of drug dealers after friday prayers.....
hmmm wonder how swift justice will be for these 5th columnists in their midsts

[Eugene]

12. The facts need to be established and proven. That's what trials are for.

Since a previous Saudi sweep for "terrorists" netted
people who petitioned for constitutional monarchy and
free elections, I would take anything the Saudi
government says with a grain of salt.

As for the aviation plot, let's see the evidence.
At any rate, recent Saudi policy is to "re-educate"
militants and reserve punishment for the hard-core
extremists. This will be interesting to watch.

[treestar]

15. Everyone deserves a fair trial

If a mere accusation is enough, all an oppressor has to do is make the accusation. This is generally what is referred to as a "witch trial." Anyone can make any accusation any time. Anyone should never be granted that kind of power over others.

[Zynx]

16. Except that half of these people at least likely are not related to the weapons

Saudia Arabia is not exactly a fan of due process.

[AlCzervik]

11. thats going to be a whole lot of beheadings.

[ohio2007]

13. Unless the House of Saud expels them from the magic kingdom and into Iraq

Let the Americans deal with them and have the 'fighters' take out a few infidels and Iraqi shia......

[Eugene]

14. Oil prices jump on Saudi arrests

Source: Agence France-Presse

Oil prices jump on Saudi arrests

Fri Apr 27, 4:43 PM ET

NEW YORK (AFP) - World crude prices surged on Friday as
Saudi Arabia announced it had arrested a ring of alleged
militants plotting airborne attacks on oil facilities and
army bases.

The news from the world's biggest oil exporter subsumed
weak first-quarter growth data in the United States, which
showed the economy expanding by its weakest pace in four
years.

-snip-

"The forces that brought prices to here are extant as the
Saudi story reminds us with brutal clarity," Man Financial
analyst John Kilduff said.

"When more is known about the level of sophistication, and
how close to execution were the militants' plans, it could
produce new highs, yet again," he said.

-snip-

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20070427/bs_afp/commoditiesenergyoil_070427204310