Saudi Arabia’s ambitious al-Qaida fighter

Robert Windrem Senior investigative producer • E-mail

He is the unknown general in the war on terrorism, a man who some European and American officials are now — surprisingly — calling the leader of one of the most, if not the most, effective counterterrorism operation in the world, and a man who could use the success he has achieved fighting al-Qaida to become his country’s leader.

He is Prince Muhammad bin Nayef bin Abdul Aziz, the man in charge of the Saudi counterterrorism campaign, who some say would like to be king.  His official title, which he has held for five years, is deputy minister of the interior for security affairs. But his portfolio and ambitions are bigger than that. He is not likely to be considered for the top job anytime soon, but there is little doubt he has increased both his visibility and reputation for competence.

Although rarely interviewed or seen by Western media, he is an emerging hero in the Saudis’ state-controlled media, a man who is seen as protecting the nation as well as the House of Saud — and who is not shy about taking credit.

In many ways, he represents the conflicts inherent in trying to thwart terrorism at home while not going far enough to discourage it elsewhere. 

In interviews with U.S., Spanish, British and French counterterrorism officials, Prince bin Nayef comes away with almost universally high grades.

But, say those same officials, the Saudis are much more effective in countering terrorism inside Saudi Arabia than stopping it from happening outside the country.

“How much do they care about what is going on outside the country is the question,” said one former U.S. intelligence official.

Cleaning up the counterterrorism operation
Bin Nayef is regarded by senior U.S. counterterrorism officials as part of the “new breed” of Saudi officials, one who they see several times a year and trust and who they believe has cleaned up the Saudi equivalent of the FBI, long suspected of incompetence as well as disloyalty.  Among those he has met with are National Security Council counterterrorism director Fran Townsend, FBI Director Robert Mueller and State Department counterterrorism director Cofer Black.

“The Saudi anti-terrorism program is the best in the world right now,” says Baltasar Garzon, the Spanish counterterrorism prosecutor who met with Prince Nayef in Riyadh in December.  What impressed Garzon was Prince Nayef’s willingness to sweep aside impediments to greater cooperation within the Saudi government.

Initially, Islamic lawyers at the Saudi Ministry of Justice told him they could not establish such relations because Spain was not an Islamic country. Then bin Nayef intervened.  Bin Nayef told him that he would make certain a relationship was established.  Bin Nayef told Garzon that he wanted relations not just with U.S. and U.K. counterterrorist operations but with Europeans as well.

“He told me not to worry about that,” said Garzon, and indeed, the relationship was established and is working, with the two countries sharing information on counterterrorism.

“Saudi Arabia, I must say, it appears to be impressive what they're doing — yes,” said Jean Louis Bruggiere, Garzon’s counterpart in France.

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