Washington, Aug 01: Saudi Arabia has worked harder with US anti-terror investigators since a massive bombing attack in Riyadh this year, a top FBI official has told a senate hearing on terrorist financing. Testifying before the senate governmental affairs committee, John Pistole, acting Federal Bureau of Investigation assistant director for counter terrorism, told lawmakers that the May 12 bombing of an apartment complex in Riyadh proved to be a turning point that ended Saudi foot-dragging on terror probes. "Post-May 12, the Saudis have had a wake-up call," said pistole who. Since the attacks, which were blamed on al-Qaeda's terror network, "we have had unprecedented cooperation with them in virtually every area," he said. Pistole added that since the bombings, the Saudi government has detained, or killed while attempting to detain, hundreds of terror suspects.

Cooperation has improved "in all areas but for the financing issue, which is still ongoing," he said.

Pistole said that issue, among others, would be discussed when he travels to Riyadh on Sunday with a team of officials from the national security council -- along with officials from the state and treasury departments -- for a series of meetings with senior Saudi officials.
Some US lawmakers were disinclined to believe that Saudis have become more cooperative.

"Saudi behavior toward terrorism -- particularly toward terrorism aimed at the united states -- has been very, very lax and very disturbing for many, many years," said senator Carl Levin, a member of the senate panel.

Bureau Report