The embassy of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in the United Kingdom issued today a statement regarding the Amnesty attack on a draft Saudi Law to assist Saudi Security Forces in tackling terrorist activity. The statement said: "A draft law to assist Saudi Security forces in tackling terrorist activity and currently under discussion by the Majlis Al-Shura (The Consultative Council) in Saudi Arabia has been attacked by Amnesty International. Without contacting the Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia for clarity or comment, Amnesty (International) determined that this law could be used to suppress dissent within the Kingdom, and on this basis circulated its interpretation to journalists. Only after a journalist contacted the embassy did we find out about their accusations. The Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia would like to point out that Amnesty's concerns about this law are baseless, mere supposition on their part, and completely without foundation. However the Kingdom would also like to point out that it is determined to continue to tackle the threat of terrorism in Saudi Arabia. Since 1995, the Kingdom has been struggling with domestic terrorism, only recently eradicating Al-Qaeda cells that took root in the country. Before that time, a multitude of terrorist acts occurred, killing scores of people and sowing fear. Today, due to the efforts of the Saudi Security Services, those cells have largely been eradicated. However, regional unrest provides a breeding ground for new threats. The continued growth of Al-Qaeda presents us with a serious challenge, and policies that prevent this group from establishing an affiliated network in the Kingdom are necessary. --MORE
