Saudi Arabia will not give in to the "malicious media campaign in the US and Europe” against the kingdom,Minister of Interior Prince Nayef bin Abdulaziz said on Saturday, according to reports.
At a press conference in Riyadh Saturday, the minsiter said that the media campaign would not make the kingdom change its positions regarding supporting all the just causes in the Arab and Islamic worlds.
He questioned the motives behind the attacks on Saudi Arabia and whether the real reason was the kingdom's commitment to Islam and its teachings, or some kind of grudge.
Prince Nayef's comments came after the barrage of US and Western media attacks on the kingdom following the September 11 attacks on the US.
He said that the doors of the kingdom were open to anyone objectively seeking the truth.
The media campaign has not affected the ties between Riyadh and Washington, according to the prince, who described them as “deep-rooted and historic.”
"The official US position and contacts at all levels are different from what is conveyed by the media,” he said.
He said there had not been "any rally or demonstration in support of bin Laden or the Taliban” in Saudi Arabia.
Saudi authorities have detained several suspected supporters of bin Laden, Prince Nayef said.
The minister told reporters that Riyadh would not allow any Saudi national to volunteer to help bin Laden or the Taliban. "We do not accept seeing any Saudi national under the leadership of the Taliban and [Osama bin Laden's group]Al Qaeda.”
“Those who go there (would) violate the obligations of their citizenship," he said - Albawaba.com
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