ABU DHABI Ñ The United States is on the lookout for Al Qaida fugitives
trying to flee Afghanistan and Pakistan for Saudi Arabia.
U.S. officials are concerned that agents of Saudi fugitive Osama Bin Laden are
boarding ships and planes from Pakistan in the guise of Islamic pilgrims who
plan to attend the Haj in Mecca.
The kingdom expects a record three million pilgrims for the Haj,
which will culminate in Feb. 22, Middle East Newsline reported.
U.S. security agents have been stopping ships and planes leaving Pakistan in the search for Bin Laden agents.
On Tuesday, the Islamabad-based daily, The Nation, reported that FBI
agents had blocked two flights from leaving Pakistan for the Saudi city of
Jedda last week. The newspaper said the agents searched the planes for
suspected members of the toppled Afghan Taliban regime and Bin Laden's Al
Qaida organization.
The Haj pilgrims had boarded the flights in the southern Pakistani city
of Karachi. The United States believes Karachi is being used as a haven for
Al Qaida and Taliban fugitives. One flight searched was that of the Saudi
national air carrier. The newspaper said nobody was arrested but passengers
resisted the search.
Gulf diplomatic sources said Saudi Arabia has agreed to tighten security
regulations for the Haj pilgrimage. They said this would include a thorough
examination of visas and passports by arriving pilgrims.
In addition, the sources said, Saudi authorities have introduced
advanced equipment at airports and border points that would check for forged
passports.
So far, more than 100,000 pilgrims have arrived in Saudi Arabia.
