[NYTr] Brits Had Advance Warning of 7/7 Attacks; Failed to Act - Saudi King

[All the News That Doesn't Fit]

The Guardian - Oct 29, 2007
http://www.guardian.co.uk/saudi/story/0,,2201181,00.html

UK failed to act on July 7 intelligence, says Saudi king

by Matthew Weaver and agencies

King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia has accused Britain of failing to act on
Saudi anti-terrorist intelligence, which he claimed might have averted
the July 7 bombings in London in 2005.

In an interview with the BBC ahead of his controversial visit to the
UK, the Saudi head of state said countries such as Britain needed to
put more effort into the fight against terrorism.

"We have sent information to Great Britain before the terrorist attacks
in Britain but unfortunately no action was taken. And it may have been
able to maybe avert the tragedy," he said, speaking through an
interpreter.

He said countries "including, unfortunately Britain", were not taking
terrorism seriously enough.

He also said al-Qaida continued to be a big problem for his country.

Last year the Commons intelligence and security committee found no
evidence that Saudi intelligence could have prevented the 2005 bombings.

The king's remarks came as he was expected to arrive in Britain today
for a state visit that has already been heavily criticised.

The Liberal Democrat acting leader, Vince Cable, yesterday took the
highly unusual step of announcing that he would be boycotting the visit.

A mass demonstration is planned outside the Saudi embassy in London
later in the week in protest at the kingdom's human rights record.

Mr Cable said he was boycotting the visit - which begins formally
tomorrow - in protest at the corruption scandal over the infamous
al-Yamamah arms deal.

The Conservatives branded his boycott as "juvenile gesture politics",
while the Foreign Office said it was a matter for Mr Cable.

A Foreign Office spokeswoman said the decision to invite King Abdullah
now reflected the "long-standing friendship" between the two nations.

She said British and Saudi interests were "intertwined and inseparable"
across a range of issues from counter-terrorism to ensuring stability
in the Middle East.

King Abdullah faces further controversy later in the week. The leftwing
Labour MP John McDonnell said protesters would be staging a mass
demonstration outside the Saudi embassy on Wednesday.

"The British people will be aghast at the government entertaining on a
state visit one of the most prominent anti-democratic and human rights-
abusing leaders in the world," he said.

"Why is it that in the same breath the prime minister condemns the lack
of democracy in Burma and the abuse of human rights in Zimbabwe but
remains silent when it comes to the Saudi dictatorship?"