RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (AP) – Saudi Arabia’s crown prince called for the creation of a worldwide center to share intelligence on terrorism on Saturday at a conference on fighting al-Qaida and other groups, hosted by a country often accused of exporting militants.

Crown Prince Abdullah, who is the kingdom’s de facto leader and has led a tough campaign against militant groups over the past year, said a global intelligence-sharing center could allow experts and officials worldwide to “exchange information instantly” to prevent attacks.

Saudi Arabia is already thought to exchange information with the United States, but the kingdom has been criticized for failing to openly disclose the steps it takes internally to uproot al-Qaida’s structure in the kingdom.

The desert kingdom is accused by some in the West of not doing enough to stop the departure of militants from Saudi Arabia to other countries, including Iraq.

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal told reporters the conference was meant to be a Saudi contribution to the anti-terrorism fight, not a public relations effort to brighten the country’s image. Saudi Arabia is the the birthplace of terror mastermind Osama bin Laden and 15 of the 19 Sept. 11 hijackers.

“Our efforts are aimed at ending this scourge from the region, not to improve our image in any society,” he said.

“No one can blame Saudi Arabia, saying it didn’t do its due diligence when it comes to terrorism, because (terrorism) is a danger against it, and it has sacrificed the blood of its sons,” he said.

The conference, attended by delegates from the United States, Britain and more than 50 countries, took place in an enormous palace hall protected by hundreds of armed security forces patrolling the perimeter. Posters were hung along the capital’s streets showing images of destruction from terrorist bombings and saying: “Our religion rejects terrorism.”

Syria and Iran – two countries accused by the United States of supporting terror – disputed what they called inaccurate definitions of terrorism.

A member of the Iranian foreign ministry, Ali Abul Hasani, said people fighting for their freedom under occupation should be considered differently than those who kill innocent civilians.

Some in the Middle East have long contended that Palestinian militant groups like Hamas are legitimately fighting against Israel, and should not be termed terrorists.

Syria said it will urge the international community to condemn “state terrorism practiced by Israel.”

Hasani said the Iranian delegation was present to show its seriousness in counterterrorism efforts and said Iran was “ready to share our experience in fighting terrorism.”

President Bush called Iran “the world’s primary state sponsor of terror” during his State of the Union speech on Wednesday, a charge that Iran denies.

In a closed delegate meeting, Danny Glaser, the Deputy Assistant U.S. Secretary for the Office of Terrorist Financing, urged other countries to adopt international standards against money laundering and terror financing. Glaser also said officials would be watching the numbers of criminal prosecutions.

Prince Nayef bin Abdel Aziz Al Saud, the Saudi Interior Minister who heads security forces in the country, said more than 50 attacks have been prevented in the kingdom over the last two years through successful pre-emptive strikes.

Nayef said that over the past two years 22 attacks by militants killed 90 victims and 39 members of the security forces and resulted in 720 injured victims, including security troops.

The construction conglomerate owned by the family of suspected terror mastermind Osama bin Laden took out an ad in newspapers to coincide with the opening of the conference that said in large letters: “We strongly condemn all kinds of terror.”

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On the Net: http://www.ctic.org.sa/english.asp.

AP-ES-02-05-05 1507EST

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