SAUDI ARABIA SEEKS BRITISH INVESTIGATION INTO MUSLIM BROTHERHOOD
Riyadh, 25 Dhulhijjah 1435/19 October 2014 (MINA) – Asrar Arabiya has learned from informed sources that Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud Al-Faisal met with Jordan’s King Abdullah The Second in the French capital Paris last month.
During the meeting Al-Faysal asked the Jordanian king to contact British officials, with whom he has good relations, in order to influence the investigation that is being conducted by London into the activities of the Muslim Brotherhood in order to establish whether the group are terrorists or not, Middle East Monitor (MEMO)quoted by Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA) as reporting.
The informed source told Asrar Arabiya that Prince Saudi Al-Faisal expressed profound concern at the likelihood that the investigation might end up with absolving the Muslim Brotherhood of any charge related to terrorism.
This is indeed what has been leaked by some newspapers and media outlets in Britain.
The secret meeting between the Saudi Prince and the Jordanian King was held in Paris on 18 September when King Abdullah was on an official visit. However, his meeting with Prince Saudi Al-Faisal, who happened to be in Paris at the time, was not announced.
Al-Faisal asked Abdullah to get in touch with the British officials with whom he enjoys good relations in order to guarantee that the report would conclude with an assertion that the Muslim Brotherhood was embroiled in terrorist activities rather than absolving them.
According to the information received, Saudi Arabia has been exerting intensive efforts in order to influence the investigations conducted by Britain into the Muslim Brotherhood.
The aim would be to guarantee that the Brotherhood is criminalised and the charge of terrorism is attached to them.
The source has said to Asrar Arabiya that Saudi Arabia is currently working on seeking the assistance of Arab institutions such as the Arab League in order to communicate to the British the desire to have the Muslim Brotherhood designated as a terrorist organisation.
It is worth noting that British Prime Minister David Cameron ordered last April a review into the activities of the Muslim Brotherhood to see if the group should be included in the list of terrorist organisations.
He also wanted the London meetings of the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood to be investigated to see if they have any connection with what is going on Egypt or if they represent embroilment in terrorist acts.
Although the release of the report has been delayed, there have been leakages in the British media indicating that the review is likely to exonerate the Brotherhood from involvement in any terroristic or illicit activities.
It would seem that these leakages enraged Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates and prompted them to mobilise in an endeavour to impact the report. (T/P002/R03)
Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)
