Homeland Security

MR. BOUCHER: I don't think I could do it off my head right here. Did he just say that a half hour ago before I came out?

QUESTION: I think it was longer than that, but you may not have seen it.

MR. BOUCHER: I had the sound off. I'm afraid I was doing other things.

QUESTION: But I mean, we should, you should know. It would be a general issue wouldn't it?

MR. BOUCHER: Well, I don't think, I don't have the precise rundown. I think we have all known that there were al-Qaida operatives, al-Qaida organizations that operated in that part of the world, and I think you have seen evidence of that in the law enforcement and other operations that have been carried out there by Yemen and other governments. The border as we all, I think, know from the past is a pretty open area, a pretty desolate area, and therefore parts of Yemen and Saudi Arabia are sort of not differentiated at that point so that people in that area move fairly freely.

QUESTION: I just don't remember people or Administration officials saying so often that there are still terrorists operating openly in Saudi Arabia.

MR. BOUCHER: I think if you want any more detail, you might check with the Pentagon on that. But I don't know that we have said in great detail, but I think we have said that there are al-Qaida associates and associated organizations that have taken refuge in Yemen, had ties in the past to groups in Yemen that have had ties in the past, and you've seen the Government of Yemen, at times, conduct military and other operations against them.

QUESTION: And Saudi?

MR. BOUCHER: As I said, I'm not sure what precisely might have gone on in the -- on Saudi territory, but we all that's a very open area and people move fairly freely.