P.K. Abdul Ghafour, Arab News Staff

JEDDAH, 11 November 2003 — Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Fahd yesterday reaffirmed Saudi Arabia’s determination to confront terrorism with force. “We will deal with all those who try to tamper with the Kingdom’s security and stability with an iron hand,” he said.

Addressing the weekly Cabinet meeting, King Fahd extended his condolences to the families of the Saudis and expatriates killed in Saturday’s suicide bombing at the Al-Muhaya Compound in the capital.

“The blasts targeted children, women and men living peacefully in the compound,” the Saudi Press Agency quoted the king as saying. The attack was aimed at creating chaos and confusion in the country and killing innocent people, he added. “We will track down the criminals behind these attacks and those who support them,” he said.

Meanwhile, Prince Alwaleed ibn Talal, chairman of Kingdom Holding Company, has said Saudi Arabia must introduce more political reforms and take decisive measures to root out extremism.

He said there was consensus in the ruling family on reforms. “Reform is not a requirement of businessmen only, or members of the ruling family, but a requirement of every Saudi citizen,” Al-Watan newspaper quoted him as saying.

Saudi Arabia has announced plans to hold partial elections to the country’s new municipal councils. “We shouldn’t belittle the electoral process, it is the green light... This is the first step toward elections to the consultative Shoura Council,” he said.

“We hear voices saying no to Shoura elections and no to women’s vote. But I say women should vote and there will be elections to the Shoura,” the prince said.

He also favored women driving in the Kingdom. “I don’t see any religious reason to ban women from driving... If the ban is lifted I would be the first to allow my wife and daughter to drive their cars.”

Many Saudis had still not come to terms with the fact that Saudis carried out the Sept. 11 attacks in the US and the May 12 attacks on residential compounds in Riyadh, he said.

The prince said he did not feel Saudi society had adequately asked, let alone answered, the question why some of its citizens kill themselves and others. “Unfortunately we haven’t answered it with all honesty, we haven’t posed the question in a direct and honest manner... And it was necessary that we ask why 15 young Saudis committed terrorist attacks on Sept. 11.

“And enough of the naivete that says those behind the attacks are Israelis, and enough of the naivete that says those who planned the attacks were more in-depth in their thinking than Saudis,” he said.