The Middle East Media Research Institute (www.memri.org) has published a study that clearly shows how Saudi Arabia continues to fund and support the mass murderers from the Palestinian Islamic Jihad and Hamas:

The following is the introduction to a report on the Saudi royal family's financial support to the Palestinians from 1998 through 2003. [...]

For decades the royal family of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has been the main financial supporter of Palestinian groups fighting Israel, through the creation of two major committees. The Popular Committee for Assisting Palestinian Mujahideen and The Support Committee for the Al-Quds Intifada and The Al-Aqsa Fund have to date given over 15 billion Saudi Riyals (4 billion $U.S.) and reportedly pledged Palestinians up to 1 billion dollars to finance the continuation of the Intifada, which is also commonly referred to by Saudi officials as "Jihad"(1) and "resistance."(2). [...]

Saudi funds which originate in the Jeddah based Islamic Development Bank (IDB) reach the Palestinian Authority Treasury Department via Account 98 of the Saudi Development Fund (SDF). All funds for Prince Salman Ibn Abd Al-Aziz's Popular Committee for Assisting the Palestinian Mujahideen go directly to the PLO, while Prince Nayef's funds from the Support Committee for the Al-Quds Intifada and Al-Aqsa Fund go to the Palestinian Authority. According to official Saudi sources, leading members of the Saudi royal family, Crown Prince, Deputy Prime Minister and Commander of the National Guard Abdullah Ibn Abd Al-Aziz, Second Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence and Aviation and Inspector General Prince Sultan Ibn Abd Al-Aziz, Minister of Interior Prince Nayef Ibn Abd Al-Aziz, Minister of State and Cabinet member Prince Abd Al-Aziz Ibn Fahd Ibn Abd Al-Aziz, have worked directly with leading Palestinian officials Yasser Arafat as well as Nabil Shaath to ensure the funds were both sent and received.

My girlfriend, who was born in America, once told me that she didn't believe "our friends, the Saudis" could support terrorism. The Saudis have spent millions with their PR campaigns, while at the same time promoting their racist and violent Islamic doctrine of "wahhabism".

This is similar to Yasser Arafat, who speaks of peace in English to the Western media, while calling for "Jihad" (holy Islamic war) against the Jews", and for a "million martyrs" (homicide bombers) to march into Jerusalem.

We're on to you, Islamic terrorist freaks - we know your double game, and we won't let you get away with it anymore.

I copy the full study below - it's well worth the read.

Special Report - Saudi Arabia/ Jihad & Terrorism Studies
July 3, 2003, No. 17

Saudi Royal Family's Financial Support to the Palestinians 1998-2003: More than 15 Billion Riyals ($4 Billion U.S.) Given to "Mujahideen Fighters" and "Families of Martyrs"

By Steven Stalinsky*

The following is the introduction to a report on the Saudi royal family's financial support to the Palestinians from 1998 through 2003. To view the full report, please visit http://www.memri.org/release

Saudi Government Committees to Support Palestinians

For decades the royal family of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has been the main financial supporter of Palestinian groups fighting Israel, through the creation of two major committees. The Popular Committee for Assisting Palestinian Mujahideen and The Support Committee for the Al-Quds Intifada and The Al-Aqsa Fund have to date given over 15 billion Saudi Riyals (4 billion $U.S.) and reportedly pledged Palestinians up to 1 billion dollars to finance the continuation of the Intifada, which is also commonly referred to by Saudi officials as "Jihad"(1) and "resistance."(2)

The Popular Committee for Assisting the Palestinian Mujahideen

Headed by Prince Salman Ibn Abd Al-Aziz, the Governor of Riyadh, the Popular Committee for Assisting the Palestinian Mujahideen was established after the Arab-Israeli war in 1967.(3) In February 1994, King Fahd Ibn Abd Al-Aziz issued an updated directive to Prince Salman to support the Palestinians with a national campaign drive in the Kingdom.(4) The committee is responsible for "assisting the freedom fighters of Palestine,"(5) and "extending assistance to members of the families of the martyrs."(6) The committee has donated at least 298,784,151 Saudi Riyals (SR).(7)

The Committee for the Al-Quds Intifada and the Al-Aqsa Fund

The Arab summit held in Cairo in October 2000 adopted the recommendation of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to establish two funds: one to be called "The Fund of the Al-Quds Intifada," with a capital of $200 million, for the families of the Palestinian martyrs killed during the Intifada, and the other to be called "The Al-Aqsa Fund," with a capital of $800 million, for the purpose of financing projects to help preserve the Arab and Islamic characteristics of Jerusalem, and to enable the Palestinians to liberate themselves.(8) Crown Prince Abdullah Ibn Abd Al-Aziz said that Saudi Arabia would pay one-quarter of the $1 billion capital for the two funds, while King Fahd Ibn Abd Al-Aziz would undertake the support of 1,000 Palestinian families of martyrs. A directive by governors of all regions in Saudi Arabia to initiate campaigns for every citizen to donate to the Al-Quds Intifada Fund was also implemented.(9) Prince Nayef bin Abd Al-Aziz, Interior Minister of Saudi Arabia, is th!
e chairman of "The Saudi Committee for the Al-Quds Intifada" and the "Al-Aqsa Fund," which has transferred over 15,442,105,150 Saudi Riyals (SR)(10) to the Palestinians, including money to the martyrs fund.(11) This is in addition to Prince Nayef's separate support committee, which has donated 20,000 Saudi Riyals (SR) ($5,333 U.S.) to each martyr's family.(12)

Saudi Banks, Account 98, and the Palestinian Authority Treasury

Saudi funds which originate in the Jeddah based Islamic Development Bank (IDB) reach the Palestinian Authority Treasury Department via Account 98 of the Saudi Development Fund (SDF). All funds for Prince Salman Ibn Abd Al-Aziz's Popular Committee for Assisting the Palestinian Mujahideen go directly to the PLO, while Prince Nayef's funds from the Support Committee for the Al-Quds Intifada and Al-Aqsa Fund go to the Palestinian Authority. According to official Saudi sources, leading members of the Saudi royal family, Crown Prince, Deputy Prime Minister and Commander of the National Guard Abdullah Ibn Abd Al-Aziz, Second Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence and Aviation and Inspector General Prince Sultan Ibn Abd Al-Aziz, Minister of Interior Prince Nayef Ibn Abd Al-Aziz, Minister of State and Cabinet member Prince Abd Al-Aziz Ibn Fahd Ibn Abd Al-Aziz, have worked directly with leading Palestinian officials Yasser Arafat as well as Nabil Shaath to ensure the funds wer!
e both sent and received.

This report, based entirely on official Saudi government sources, details the Saudi government support to the Popular Committee for Assisting the Mujahideen and the Saudi Committee for the Al-Quds Intifada and The Al-Aqsa Fund between 1998-2003.

* Steven Stalinsky is Executive Director of MEMRI.

Endnotes:
(1) Prince Ahmad, quoted in Arab News, January 15, 2003. "Kingdom will never fight Islamic trends, says Prince Ahmed." www.arabnews.com/services/print/print.asp?artid=21957&d=15&m=1&y=2003&hl
(2) Prince Nayef, quoted in Ain-Al-Yaqeen. "Saudi Arabia Doubles Its Efforts Aiming at Supporting the Palestinian People." June 22, 2001. http://www.ain-al-yaqeen.com/issues/20010622/feat9en.htm
(3) Arab News, "Salman rejects terrorism charges against charities." Nov. 3, 2002. http://www.arabnews.com/?page=1§ion=0&article=20068&d=3&m=11&y=2002
(4) Ain-Al-Yaqeen. "Scholars and Experts Praise King Fahd Approval for the Establishment of the Al Quds Center for Studies and Researchers." Oct. 12, 2001. http://www.ain-al-yaqeen.com/issues/20011012/feat9en.htm
(5) Ain-Al-Yaqeen, "Arafat Informs King Fahd, Prince Abdullah and Prince Sultan about the Development of the Peace Process. Prince Sultan: We believe that America under Clinton's leadership will not abandon the peace process." Apr. 29, 1998. http://www.ain-al-yaqeen.com/issues/19980429/feat2en.htm
(6) Ain-Al-Yaqeen. "Prince Salman Orders the Transfer of New Financial Public Support to the Palestinian People." July 5, 2002. http://www.ain-al-yaqeen.com/issues/20020705/feat5en.htm
(7) See chart on Page 4
(8) Ain-Al-Yaqeen. "The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Approves the Establishment of Al Quds Center at King Abd Al-Aziz Foundation." Sept. 21, 2001. http://www.ain-al-yaqeen.com/issues/20010921/feat3en.htm. This includes independence from the Israeli economy.
(9) Ain-Al-Yaqeen. "Scholars and Experts Praise King Fahd Approval for the Establishment of the Al Quds Center for Studies and Researchers." Oct. 12, 2001. http://www.ain-al-yaqeen.com/issues/20011012/feat9en.htm. In fact, the Kingdom participated in establishing Al Quds Committee in 1975 and the Al Quds Fund in 1976 and supported it financially.
(10) See chart on Page 4
(11) Ain-Al-Yaqeen. "The Saudi Leadership Discusses with King Abdullah and Arafat Ways to Achieve A Just and Comprehensive Peace in the Middle East and the New American Move." Nov. 30, 2001. http://www.ain-al yaqeen.com/issues/20011130/feat2en.htm
(12) Ain-Al-Yaqeen, "Prior to the Summit in Amman." Apr. 6, 2001. http://www.ain-al-yaqeen.com/issues/20010406/feat8en.htm

*********************
The Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI) is an independent, non-profit organization that translates and analyzes the media of the Middle East. Copies of articles and documents cited, as well as background information, are available on request.

The Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI) P.O. Box 27837, Washington, DC 20038-7837
Phone: (202) 955-9070
Fax: (202) 955-9077
E-Mail: memri@memri.org
www.memri.org

Posted by David Melle
 Link to this page |   Email this entry |   digg this