Skip to main content
The Web    CNN.com      Powered by
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
SERVICES
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
SEARCH
Web CNN.com
powered by Yahoo!
WORLD

Saudis: 57 militants surrender


story.binladen.associate.jpg
Longtime bin Laden associate Khalid al-Harbi surrendered in Iran last week, Saudi authorities said.
SPECIAL REPORT
YOUR E-MAIL ALERTS
Saudi Arabia

RIYAHD, Saudi Arabia (CNN) -- The Saudi Interior Ministry has announced another 57 wanted militants have surrendered to security officials in recent days under a month-long leniency offer set to expire this week.

The Interior Ministry said 27 of the militants came from outside the country, with 30 others from inside Saudi borders. Their surrenders bring the total to 61.

As Riyadh was marking its success, Crown Prince Abdullah issued a stern warning to the country's radical clerics.

"Tell your colleagues ... that we are keeping an eye on them and we know them," Abdullah said, promising "Allah's wrath will fall upon them" if they sow seeds of extremism.

Security sources said more surrenders could come before Friday's deadline.

Those who have surrendered have been jailed and are being interrogated, the Interior Ministry said.

It is not immediately known if any of these men were on the Saudi's list of the 25 most wanted militants.

A Saudi official who mediated some of the surrenders called it encouraging.

Several other Saudi militants surrendered in recent weeks, including two who were said to be linked to al Qaeda founder Osama bin Laden.

The Saudi government issued an offer of leniency last month which exempted terror suspects from the death penalty in Saudi Arabia but not from civil suits by their victims' families.

It was made specifically to suspects in attacks inside Saudi Arabia, an official said, and does not apply to those wanted for attacks in other countries.

A Saudi cleric involved in the amnesty program has asked the Saudi government to extend the 30-day leniency offer beyond Friday.

CNN's Nic Robertson and Henry Shuster contributed to this report


Story Tools
Subscribe to Time for $1.99 cover
Top Stories
Iran poll to go to run-off
Top Stories
CNN/Money: Security alert issued for 40 million credit cards
Search JobsMORE OPTIONS


 

International Edition
CNN TV CNN International Headline News Transcripts Advertise With Us About Us
SEARCH
   The Web    CNN.com     
Powered by
© 2005 Cable News Network LP, LLLP.
A Time Warner Company. All Rights Reserved.
Terms under which this service is provided to you.
Read our privacy guidelines. Contact us.
external link
All external sites will open in a new browser.
CNN.com does not endorse external sites.
 Premium content icon Denotes premium content.
Add RSS headlines.