Statement by Saudis a boost for bin Laden family

Saudi Arabia has no evidence that Osama bin Laden’s wives and family members deported from Pakistan have been involved in terrorism, an official Saudi statement said yesterday in an indication that authorities will allow the group to remain in the kingdom.

The statement also provided more details of the secrecy-shrouded arrival of the late al-Qaeda leader’s family, saying they were met in the Red Sea city of Jeddah by other members of bin Laden’s extended clan. Pakistan said the 14-member group, including three of bin Laden’s widows and their children, were deported on Friday after weeks of negotiations.

The state-run Saudi Press Agency, citing an “official source”, said there “is no information or evidence of the family’s involvement or participation in any criminal or illegal acts”.

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It added that the deportations were handled on “humanitarian, legal and religious” grounds, further suggesting the kingdom would allow the group to remain. One of the widows is Yemeni and the other two are Saudi citizens.

Bin Laden was killed in a 2 May 2011 raid on his compound in Pakistan by US Navy SEALs.

His widows were later interrogated by Pakistani intelligence agents and convicted – along with two adult daughters – of illegally entering and living in the country. Their 45-day prison term, which was spent at a closely guarded house in Islamabad, ended earlier this month.

Saudi Arabia stripped bin Laden of his citizenship in 1994 because of his denunciations of the Saudi royal family.

The bin Laden family is one of the most prominent in Saudi Arabia, with close ties to the royal family and a fortune rooted in a construction business started by bin Laden’s father.

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