Saudi Minister escape Assassination attempt

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By Abdul Rahman Shaheen, Correspondent
Published: August 28, 2009, 11:32

Riyadh: Saudi Arabia's Deputy Interior Minister for Security Affairs Prince Mohammad Bin Nayef has survived a suicide attack in his office in Jeddah on Thursday night. 

The minister had a miraculous escape with minor injuries when a wanted terrorist, posing as a well-wisher, blew himself up with explosives he was carrying, the Saudi Press Agency reported quoting a royal court statement. The minister left King Faisal Specialist Hospital after undergoing necessary tests and treatment. 

The suicide bombing took place at 11.30pm, while Prince Mohammad was receiving a group of people who came to greet him on the occasion Ramadan at his house in Jeddah. The suicide bomber was a wanted terrorist, who had previously requested to turn himself in before Prince Mohammad Bin Nayef. 

The wanted criminal exploded himself during security inspection. The prince escaped the assassination attempt with minor injuries," the royal court statement said adding that, "Nobody else suffered any injuries." 

Soon after the incident, King Abdullah Bin Abdul Aziz visited Prince Mohammad at the hospital to inquire about his health and safety. The king thanked God for saving the minister's life, and praised his services to the country. The king asked Prince Mohammad why was the terrorist allowed in without proper checks, to which the prince replied, "It was a mistake."

Speaking to Saudi media on the occasion, King Abdullah warned that terrorists would get more painful strikes and will be wiped out from Saudi soil forever. During his talks with King Abdullah, Prince Mohammad said that the body of the terrorist was blown into more than 70 pieces. 

The attack was the first to directly target a member of the Saudi royal family since the start of a wave of terror attacks by Al Qaida militants in 2003, killings scores of people and injuring several others. Prince Mohammad, who is the son of Second Deputy Premier and Minister of Interior Prince Nayef Bin Abdul Aziz, has been largely credited with the government's success in almost crushing the terror violence and dismantling the terror network. 

The prince was known for his bravery and his presence of mind was evident when he drove himself to the hospital after the incident, according to eye witnesses. When reached gate of the hospital, he stepped down from the car and walked on to the room of the consulting doctor. 

Prince Mohammad, holder of a degree in political science from a US university, was appointed as assistant interior minister 10 years ago. The prince, who attended advanced courses in combating terror inside and outside the Kingdom, has been in the forefront of efforts to crush the terror threat ever since it struck the Kingdom for the first time in 2003.