Terror police foil plot 'to kill Saudi king on UK visit'

Published on Wednesday 27 February 2008 20:59

COUNTER-TERRORISM police foiled a suspected plot to murder the King of Saudi Arabia during his state visit to Britain, it was revealed yesterday.

Officers discovered a courier trying to smuggle the equivalent of 166,000 into Heathrow Airport in the months before the historic visit.

They believe the money was intended for a dissident cell of Saudi Arabians plotting to assassinate the monarch.

The money, in bundles of $100 bills, was uncovered after a tip-off from an informant. The courier was questioned by officers but not charged and released after the money was seized. Senior detectives were unable to find enough evidence to bring charges against the cash smuggler.

Detective Superintendent Mark Holmes, head of the National Terrorist Financial Investigation Unit,

said: "We seized $330,000 at Heathrow Airport. The money was coming to the UK for distribution around UK-based Saudi dissidents.

"We suspect this was going to be used to facilitate the murder of Crown Prince (King] Abdullah."

Mr Holmes was speaking at a counter-terrorism conference organised by the Association of Chief Police Officers in Brighton yesterday.

King Abdullah travelled to Britain last October, provoking controversy over relations with the Middle Eastern state.