No Information from Yemen Implicating al-Rimi in Financing Al Qaeda- Saudi Interior Ministry

Source: Asharq Alawsat
20\10\2010

Riyadh, Asharq Al-Awsat – The Saudi Arabian Interior Ministry informed Asharq Al-Awsat yesterday that it had not received any information from Yemen implicating Yemeni national Saleh al-Rimi of involvement with the Al Qaeda organization.

Yemeni security forces had arrested Saleh al-Rimi, aged 33, on suspicion of being an Al Qaeda financier, in Sanaa airport on Friday upon his arrival from Saudi Arabia. The Yemeni Interior Ministry had said that al-Rimi was arrested after his name appeared on a Yemeni security list as an alleged Al Qaeda financier.

However Major General Mansour al-Turki, the Saudi Interior Ministry's security spokesman, in response to a question by Asharq Al-Awsat, said "I would like to confirm that we have not received any information from our brothers in Yemen implicating Yemeni citizen al-Rimi with any involvement in financing activities for the Al Qaeda organization."

The available information on Saleh al-Rimi reveals that he resides in Saudi Arabia on a permanent basis, and that Saudi Arabia had no information linking him in any terrorist activities. Major General Al-Turki also confirmed that the Saudi authorities do not have the right to restrict anybody's freedom of movement unless it has evidence that give the authorities legal grounds for arrest.

According to the Yemeni Interior Ministry, the Yemeni security services in Sanaa airport arrested al-Rimi because his name was on Yemen's most wanted list.

The Yemeni Interior Ministry, on its internet website, revealed that the Yemeni security authorities had arrested Saleh al-Rimi, aged 33, a Yemeni national residing permanently in Saudi Arabia, upon his arrival in Sanaa from Yemen on Friday.

The Yemeni Interior Ministry added that Saleh al-Rimi had been arrested because his name was included on the Yemeni wanted list for allegedly financing Al Qaeda in Yemen.

The Interior Ministry also revealed that al-Rimi is the second person to be arrested in Sanaa International airport this week after an individual accused of kidnapping a Japanese citizen in November 2009 was arrested on Thursday.

However in response to a question from Asharq Al-Awsat, the Saudi Interior Ministry categorically denied receiving any information from the Yemenis implicating Saleh al-Rimi in financing Al Qaeda.