Qaeda man reportedly announced dead by the organization in Yemen, has now been linked to last year's failed assassination attempt on Prince Muhammad Bin Naif, Assistant Minister of Interior for Security Affairs, and attempts to attack various targets in the Kingdom. Okaz has learnt that Naif Muhammad Sa'eed Al-Kudri Al-Qahtani was one of the elements of the Al-Jihad Base in the Peninsula. The Jihad Base in the Peninsula orchestrated the failed assassination attempt on Prince Muhammad on Aug. 27, 2009 in Jeddah. He had also financed a number of attacks planned to take place in the Kingdom. The Kingdom's security authorities are now trying to determine whether Al-Qahtani, who is number 81 on the list of 85 most wanted terrorists, is really dead. The Al-Qaeda organization in the Arabian Peninsula, which uses Yemen as a base for launching its criminal acts in the Kingdom, reportedly admitted last week that Al-Qahtani, nicknamed “Abu Hammam”, is dead. Botched assassination According to the Okaz's information, Al-Qahtani went to Yemen along with Abdullah Asiri, who died in the botched assassination attempt on Prince Muhammad. His brother Ibrahim Asiri, number one on the list of 85, and another terrorist, nicknamed Abu Khaled Al-Asiri, also went with Al-Qahtani to Yemen. This confirms his involvement in the failed assassination attempt. A security official at the Ministry of Interior said that Al-Qahtani joined a terrorist cell in Yemen, which had planned to carry out assassinations and attacks on oil installations in the Kingdom. He said Al-Qahtani had secretly gone to Yemen and linked up with elements of the Al-Qaeda organization, including prominent members, Ammar Al-Waeli and Hamza Al-Qu'aiti. The official added that Al-Qahtani had financed terrorist operations that targeted Spanish tourists at Balqees Temple and also planned to attack the compound of the Central Security and Public Security in Seiyun in Hadhramout and Al-Akhtar valleys. He was also planning to disrupt oil supplies, said the security official. The official said that he was the link between some of the leaders of the Al-Qaeda organization. Al-Qahtani's death Despite the efforts of Al-Qaeda to hide the circumstances and timing of Al-Qahtani's death, Okaz's sources have revealed that “Abu Hammam” was killed in a missile strike launched by Yemeni warplanes on an Al-Qaeda camp in Abyan Province. It was the first preemptive strike carried out by the Yemeni security forces against strongholds of Al-Qaeda on Dec. 17, 2009, which resulted in the death of 34 people, including a Saudi on the list of 85. The source said “Abu Hammam” was among those who were not identified at the time. This is in addition to two injured Saudis, who are also on the list of 85, who were smuggled from the Lodar Hospital by the terrorists to receive treatment at Al-Qaeda's camps in Yemen. On Dec. 20, 2009, Okaz published the details of the preemptive strike, which was revealed by Ahmad Al-Masiri, Governor of the Yemeni province of Abyan. Al-Masiri said there were four Saudis on the list of 85 who were among those who were hit in the preemptive strike. He said two were killed and two others were injured and smuggled away from the Lodar Hospital. He pointed out that security forces had searched the dead, including Al-Qahtani's body, and found Saudi and United Arab Emirates currencies. Officials also found a diary in which the terrorist listed the needs of the organization, including knives, adhesive tape and batteries that would be needed in their operations. Internal telecommunication devices belonging to the terrorist organization were also found. The security forces have not dismissed the possibility that Al-Qahtani was on the phone with Abdullah Asiri when he was sitting in the presence of Prince Muhammad minutes before the assassination attempt. Al-Qahtani was born in Khamees Mushayt Governorate on March 25, 1988. He had a secondary school certificate. He had later sent a message, transmitted by extremist websites, entitled, “Let us go to Yemen” in which he called on Al-Qaeda elements in the Kingdom to leave for Yemen and promised to provide them with financial support. Interpol lists Maj. Gen. Muhammad Bin Saleh Al-Zibn, Director of Saudi Interpol, said the killing, detention or surrender of anyone on the list of 85 most wanted terrorists, does not mean they are automatically removed from the list. This can only be done after a request by the Ministry of Interior, through Saudi Interpol. In Feb. 2009, the Ministry of Interior in the Kingdom asked Interpol to include the names of all 85 terrorists on its international list of wanted fugitives. The ministry argued that the 83 Saudis and two Yemenis were an imminent danger to local, regional and international security. The ministry based its request on the fact that these terrorists can carry out criminal and terrorist acts anywhere in the world. According to the ministry's information, all those on the list of 85 are currently outside the Kingdom – some in Iran, Pakistan, Iraq, Yemen, Afghanistan, Syria and Lebanon. The whereabouts of a few have not been determined yet.
