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Saudi Arabia and Pakistan Let Terrorists Flourish Before 9/11
(Los Angeles Times) Saudi Arabia and Pakistan helped set the stage for the Sept. 11 attacks by cutting deals with the Taliban and bin Laden, according to several senior members of the Sept. 11 commission and U.S. counter-terrorism officials. Saudi Arabia provided funds and equipment to the Taliban and probably directly to Bin Laden, and didn't interfere with al-Qaeda's efforts to raise money, recruit and train operatives, and establish cells throughout the kingdom. Only after Saudi Arabia and Pakistan launched comprehensive efforts to take out their domestic al-Qaeda cells did the two nations become victims of terrorist attacks. Officials in both countries acknowledge that al-Qaeda's structure is now so firmly rooted that it will be extremely difficult to eliminate.