Riyadh
A top associate of Osama bin Laden turned himself in to the Saudi Embassy in Iran this week, apparently in an effort to claim amnesty. “He was a big fish,” one Saudi official said. In a bid to capture those responsible for terrorist acts on Saudi territory, the Saudi government announced last month that any Islamic militants who came forward voluntarily and recanted would escape the death penalty. But officials said that Khaled al-Harbi, who has apparently been living near the Afghan-Iranian border, was not wanted for any Saudi Arabian attacks and was therefore not eligible for the amnesty. Al-Harbi appears on a 2001 videotape talking to bin Laden about the 9/11 attacks. He reportedly fought the Soviets alongside bin Laden in Afghanistan, losing both his legs.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
Libya's 'curious' football cup, played in Italy to empty stadiumsUnder The Radar 'Curious collaboration' saw Al-Ahli Tripoli crowned league champions in Milan before a handful of spectators
-
What taxes do you pay on a home sale?The Explainer Some people — though not many — will need to pay capital gains taxes upon selling their home
-
Schools: The return of a dreaded fitness testFeature Donald Trump is bringing the Presidential Fitness Test back to classrooms nationwide
