LYON, France, Jan. 12 (UPI) -- The Saudi government called on the international police force to publish the names of 47 men wanted for alleged association with al-Qaida, the agency said.
Interpol said it published the names of 47 individuals wanted for alleged terrorism offenses under a so-called Red Notice at the request of the Saudi government.
The identities of the suspects were already published by the Saudi Interior Ministry and contain the names of al-Qaida suspects thought to be operating outside of Saudi Arabia.
Maj. Gen. Mansour al-Turki, a spokesman for the Interior Ministry, said most of the men were considered a "serious public threat" because of their ties to al-Qaida, Interpol said in a statement.
Ronald Noble, the Interpol secretary-general, said working with Riyadh was symbolic of the global fight against terrorism.
"By asking for Interpol's assistance, Saudi Arabia and the Interpol bureau in Riyadh have ensured that all Interpol member countries have been made aware that these men and their activities represent a security concern not only for Saudi Arabia and the region but also worldwide," said Noble in his statement.
Interpol in March published the names of 85 suspected terrorists linked to al-Qaida in Saudi Arabia, Iraq and Afghanistan, its largest single issue of Red Notices.
Of the 19 hijackers that carried out the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on the United States, 15 were from Saudi Arabia.
