ABU DHABI Ñ Saudi Arabia has employed its military for a massive
crackdown on illegal immigrants, many of whom are believed to have been sent
to foment unrest in remote areas of the kingdom.
Saudi sources said the crackdown was launched both in areas along the
Jordan border and in the south around the city of Mecca. They said thousands of
people have been detained, some of them suspected insurgents from the
Iranian-backed Hizbullah.
Last month, Saudi troops, tanks, aircraft and armored vehicles were sent
to the north in what Riyad termed a military exercise, Middle East Newsline reported. But Saudi opposition
sources said the forces were used to help flush out infiltrators and crush
dissent in the northwestern region.
The sources said that more than 10,000 troops from the National Guard
and intelligence units raided suspected dissident and insurgency
strongholds. The sources said hundreds of people have been detained and
injured.
The effort was focused in northern Saudi Arabia. The Riyad-based Al Yowm
daily said Saudi security forces arrested more than 10,000 foreigners over
the last year in the northern region. More than 1,200 were arrested around
the northwestern city of Medina.
In Mecca, Saudi authorities arrested 2,750 foreigners. The newspaper
said many of those detained entered as on pilgrimage visas and remained in
the kingdom.
Saudi Arabia reports about seven million foreign workers in the kingdom.
Riyad wants to reduce this number and plans to impose taxes.
[British newspapers reported that a Briton and a Canadian were sentenced
to death in connection with a bombing campaign in the kingdom. The
newspapers said four other British nationals were sentenced to up to 18
years in jail. The British Foreign Office expressed concern over the
detainees but did not confirm the sentences.]
