ANALYSIS: On the eve of his state visit to the United Kingdom the Saudi monarch, King ‘Abdallah, called for the creation of an international intelligence agency that would pool the knowledge of all member states.
In a rare interview the king said many of the national intelligence agencies and their governments were simply not doing a good enough job. Asked by his BBC interviewer to name some such states, ‘Abdallah chose to mention the United Kingdom. He said the Saudis had passed on information to the British ahead of the 7/7 attacks in London in July 2005. The British seemingly failed to act upon the intelligence, he alleged, though he failed to detail the data, saying that would cause a diplomatic row on the eve of his visit to the UK.
The idea of an international intel agency is not new, but the call from the Saudi leader will be taken seriously, said an analyst at The Media Line. Given that most of the 9/11 bombers came from the kingdom and that Al-Qa’ida derives much of its strength and support from within the country, ‘Abdallah’s call will be seen positively in the key intel capitals: Washington, London, Paris, Berlin and Jerusalem, said the analyst.
The major problem with creating such a body is the traditional desire of intelligence agencies not to share information. While the United States and the UK enjoy a close relationship, others in the field do not. Perhaps the largest single issue among governmental agencies is the lack of official contact between Israel and the Arab world.
Jerusalem and its intelligence agencies, the Mossad, Shabak and army intelligence, are recognized the world over as being among the leaders in the field. However, Riyadh and other Arab regimes cannot publicly share information with Israel at this stage.
Back in London ‘Abdallah will receive the red carpet treatment, with Queen Elizabeth his official host. However, he will also be criticized by the media and some members of the public, who see the Saudi record on human rights as unacceptable: more than 120 people were executed in the country in the first 10 months of the year.
Part of the reason the British government does not overtly criticize Saudi Arabia is the highly lucrative defense relationship between the two. One such deal, penned recently, brings $90 billion into the UK’s coffers. Allegations of financial kickbacks accompany the military ties but have not prevented huge contracts from going ahead.
Riyadh is in a very strong but oftentimes difficult position. It enjoys a close relationship with the U.S. and the UK, along with other Western powers, and it is still the biggest player in the oil market. However, the House of Saud also faces domestic pressure, with ultra-conservative Sunnis and armed Islamist organizations proving a strong force at home. Not only are they demanding a tough line on religious practice but also a significant toning down of ties with the West. In some cases a failure to cut links with the West is the reason proffered by terrorists for acts of violence within the kingdom.
‘Abdallah’s call for an international intelligence agency is an act to which the West can point to justify its close relationship with Riyadh, but at the same time it is a gamble on the king’s part. On the one hand such an agency could help in his public battle to eradicate terrorism from his kingdom, but on the other it could well add to anger against the Saud family, which many believe will one day lose its grip on power to a regime that would stop all ties with the West and possibly close the oil taps, too.