RIYADH, Saudi Arabia, Oct. 14 (UPI) -- Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah has vowed to crush the "scourge" of al-Qaida.
In his first televised interview since becoming king, Abdullah said Islam is a "religion of peace" that rejects the Sept, 11, 2001, attacks on the United States.
The king called al-Qaida "madness and evil" and "the work of the devil" and vowed to fight "30 years if we have to until we eliminate this scourge.
"Such acts cannot be perpetrated by any individual who has a sense of decency or humanity or justice or faith."
He admitted that differences over Iraq, Afghanistan and the wider Middle East had soured Saudi public opinion about the United States.
He also said he is working toward cutting oil prices after recent rises.
Abdullah was crowned monarch of Saudi Arabia, the world's biggest oil exporter, in August.
