The Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia in Washington DC wishes to clarify several misleading media reports linking the upcoming conference on September 11 in London sponsored by United Kingdom-based radical groups, including Al-Muhajiroun, with Saudi Arabia.

It is important to clarify that Al-Muhajiroun is a British-based extremist Islamic group whose views are contrary to those of Saudi Arabia, which has been the target of the group's rhetoric. Mr. Omar Bakri Mohammed, a non-Saudi national and founder of Al-Mahajiroun, was deported from Saudi Arabia in 1986 and his organization banned for its extremist views including his calls for the overthrow of the Saudi state. For years, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has repeatedly alerted Western nations where these groups have operated freely of the hateful speech coming from such extremists in their territories and has been actively seeking international support to prevent the funding for such groups.

Since September of last year, Saudi Arabia has worked with the international coalition to block more than U.S. $70 million in terrorist assets. The Kingdom remains committed to fighting the scourge of terrorism in cooperation with the United States and the world community.

The people of Saudi Arabia continue to extend their deepest condolences to all Americans, especially those that were victimized by the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. Words cannot express the deep sense of sorrow and loss that the people of Saudi Arabia share with all Americans.