Saudis say oil industry 'secure'

The Saudi authorities say that Islamic militants chose the wrong target by attacking the kingdom’s oil industry. A senior government adviser said recent attacks showed terrorists were trying to damage the industry by scaring away foreign workers. Adel al-Jubeir said militants’ aim was to undermine the economy and bring down the Saudi government, but said such a strategy would not succeed. His comments come days after attacks in Khobar left 22 people dead. On Wednesday, Saudi security forces killed two suspected militants said to be linked to the weekend attacks on an oil workers’ compound in the city. The men were hunted down in the remote Hada region of Taif in the west. But speaking during a visit to Washington, Mr Jubeir said: “The oil installations are very, very secure.” He added that fewer than 10% of Saudi oil employees were foreigners. Mr Jubeir also said there would be tighter controls over the movement of charitable funds abroad. The al-Haramain Islamic Foundation, which is suspected of aiding al-Qaeda, and other private charities will be dissolved or have their assets taken over by a new national charitable commission, he said. “We are determined to crush this evil and go after those who finance it,” Mr Jubeir said. Full Story