Saudi, Sudan swap security suspects

RIYADH, April 7 (Reuters) – Saudi Arabia has handed over three Sudanese nationals detained on security charges and received six Saudi nationals in an extradition exchange between the two countries, the state Saudi Press Agency said.

Saudi Interior Minister Nayef bin Abdul Aziz (L) is received by his Sudanese counterpart Abdel Rahim Hussein, on Thursday March 24, 2005. (AFP).

It quoted an Interior Ministry official as saying late on Wednesday that all the men were wanted in security cases, but did not give details.

Saudi Arabia has been battling a two-year wave of violence by supporters of the al Qaeda network of Saudi-born Osama bin Laden, who lived in Sudan between 1991 and 1996.

In 2003, Sudan extradited to Saudi Arabia 17 Saudis arrested while engaged in weapons training in the African country. The previous year Khartoum handed over to Riyadh for questioning a Sudanese whom Saudi officials said had been involved in an abortive missile attack near a Saudi airbase.