"Al Qaida is organizing cells to kidnap princes, ministers and officials
including military commanders," AQAP regional commander Said Al Shehri said.
Al Shehri released an audiotape that was broadcast on June 3 by the
Saudi-owned Al Arabiya satellite channel. The AQAP commander said the
insurgency network was also planning what he termed "major operations"
against Saudi Arabia.
Officials said the abductions are meant to win the release of an AQAP operative arrested in the
Saudi kingdom.
In February 2010, Saudi security forces captured Haylah Al Qasir, one of the few women in an authoritative position in Al Qaida. Ms. Al Qasir was said to have joined the
Al Qaida command after her husband, Mohammed Al Wakil, was killed in 2004.
Ms. Al Qasir, termed the most active Al Qaida operative in Saudi Arabia,
was said to have played a significant role in AQAP financing and the
recruitment of women. She was said to have been arrested along with 112 Al
Qaida operatives in early 2010, but her capture was not announced until
months later.
"She raised funds by saying they were going to build mosques and
orphanages in Yemen," an official said.
On June 6, Saudi Interior Minister Prince Nayef Bin Abdul Aziz said
security agencies foiled 220 Al Qaida-aligned plots over the last year.
Nayef said many of the alleged plotters were also arrested.
"So, we are going ahead with the same strength and determination to
confront them," Nayef said.
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