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Saudi king slams Britain
29/10/2007 13:51 - (SA)
London - Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah accused Britain of not taking terrorism seriously enough on Monday, hours before arriving in London for a controversial state visit.
In a BBC interview prior to his arrival, the king said his country had given Britain information which could have prevented the 2005 London suicide bombings, in which 52 innocent people died, but the authorities had failed to act on it.
The king, the first Saudi monarch in 20 years to visit Britain, will be met by heir to the throne Prince Charles and will stay at Buckingham Palace, Queen Elizabeth II's home in the capital.
His visit has already stirred up criticism from politicians and protestors who allege human rights abuses and corruption in Saudi Arabia.
Asked about the terrorist threat, the king told the BBC through an interpreter: "I believe most countries are not taking this issue too seriously including, unfortunately, Great Britain.
"We have sent information to Great Britain before the terrorist attacks in Britain but unfortunately no action was taken. And it may have been able to maybe avert the tragedy."
He said that al-Qaeda had not been defeated in Saudi Arabia, adding: "I believe strongly...that it will take 20 to 30 years to defeat the scourge of terrorism with vigilant effort.
"I strongly urge all countries in the world including Great Britain to take the matter of fighting terrorism very, very seriously and to combat terrorism day and night with robustness and vigilance."
The acting leader of Britain's third party, the centre-left Liberal Democrats, Vincent Cable, has taken the rare step of boycotting the visit in protest over human rights and an allegedly fraudulent arms deal.
Britain's Serious Fraud Office last year investigated BAE Systems' £43bn al-Yamamah deal in 1985, which provided Hawk and Tornado jets plus other military equipment to Saudi Arabia.
But the investigation was shelved by the British government last December in a move supported by the then prime minister Tony Blair amid concerns over Britain's national interest.
BAE Systems is alleged to have set up a £60m "slush fund" for members of the Saudi royal family to secure business, and made illegal payments to those involved in its deals. BAE strenuously denies the charges.
Because of his boycott, Cable will not be attending the state banquet at Buckingham Palace and other major events to which opposition leaders are usually invited.
"In my opinion, it is quite wrong for the British government to have proposed a state visit at this time," Cable wrote in a letter to the Saudi ambassador.
On Wednesday, protesters are due to stage a mass human rights demonstration outside the Saudi embassy in London supported by figures including senior ruling Labour party lawmaker John McDonnell.
The centre-left Independent newspaper, meanwhile, ran a front page headline: "A royal guest to be proud of?"
"It is difficult to know where to begin when it comes to expressing the inappropriateness of this visit," it added in an editorial.
- AFP
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