* Saudi Arabia opposed exiled Faqih’s de-listing-envoys
* Faqih says he’s committed to peace, criticizes Riyadh
* U.K., Faqih’s home, supported de-listing; U.S. opposed
(Adds Faqih reaction, details, background)
By Louis Charbonneau
UNITED NATIONS, July 1 (Reuters) – A U.N. Security Council
committee is removing Saudi dissident Saad al-Faqih from the
United Nations’ al Qaeda sanctions list, despite strong
objections from Saudi Arabia, a U.N. diplomat said on Sunday.
The London-based Faqih was added to the list in December
2004, days after the U.S. Treasury Department hit him with
sanctions for suspected links to the late Osama bin Laden’s
militant network, which was responsible for the Sept. 11 attacks
on the United States in 2001.
The decision to de-list Faqih came after the 15-nation
Security Council’s sanctions committee failed to reach a
consensus to override the U.N.’s al Qaeda-sanctions-list
ombudsman, who had recommended removing Faqih from the U.N.
blacklist, the diplomat told Reuters on condition of anonymity.
Reuters reported on Saturday that the removal of Faqih from
the U.N. blacklist appeared imminent. One envoy
said Faqih’s de-listing was expected to take effect at midnight
New York time (0400 GMT).
Faqih told Reuters in London it had been “a laborious
battle” to get him off the list.
Continued…
