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U.K. ignored warnings before bombings, Saudi king claims

PostPosted: Mon Oct 29, 2007 4:32 pm
by Jeff
U.K. ignored warnings before London bombings, Saudi king claims

Oct 29

Saudi Arabia's king is accusing Britain of ignoring important intelligence information before the July 7, 2005, bombings on London's transit system.

"We have sent the information to Great Britain before the terrorist attacks in Britain, but unfortunately no action was taken," King Abdullah told the BBC on Monday.

"It may have been able to maybe avert the tragedy."

Abdullah made the comments in Jiddah, Saudi Arabia, a few hours before flying to London, where he was greeted by Prince Charles at the start of an official state visit.

Abdullah did not give any details about the information he said his country provided.

This is not the first time reports of Saudi Arabian intelligence information about the London bombings have arisen.

Soon after the bombings, British officials told the Associated Press that Saudi Arabia had passed on information in December 2004 that raised concerns about a possible attack in July 2005 in crowded sections of London.

The information was based on information gleaned from a Saudi man who was arrested by Saudi officials and confessed to raising money for a terrorist attack in Britain, officials said.
No specifics given

However, the British officials at the time stressed that the information they were given did not provide any specifics about names, dates or locations.

The issue of Saudi information came up again in 2006, when a panel of British MPs on the Intelligence and Security Committee announced that Saudi Arabia had passed on some information, but noted that it wasn't credible.

The 2005 bombings killed 56 people and injured more than 700. The explosions were set off by four suicide bombers on three subway trains and a bus.

On Monday, Abdullah also accused Britain and others of not doing enough to fight terrorism.

"I believe that most countries are not taking this issue too seriously, including, unfortunately, Great Britain."

http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2007/10/2 ... itain.html