Saudi officials confirmed on Sunday that they had sheltered three widows and reportedly eleven children of the late number one terrorist Osama bin Laden, Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported.
"Saudi Arabia acted out of humanitarian considerations... so far as there are no reports or evidence of their implication in criminal or illegal acts," SAP said quoting Saudi official spokesman as saying.
The spokesman also said the group had been greeted by their numerous relatives as they arrived in Jeddah by a private jet on Thursday night.
Bin Laden’s family is one of the most influential in Saudi business circles. Saudi Binladen Group, largest kingdom’s industrial holding was found in 1955 by Mohammed Binladin. Osama bin Laden was believed to be Mohammed’s 17th son.
Bin Laden’s three wives and 11 children were detained by Pakistani authorities immediately after the secret raid of U.S. commandos on his hideout in the northwestern town of Abbottabad on May 2, 2011.
Bin Laden, who was behind the 9/11 attacks against the United States, was killed in the raid and his compound was demolished in February.
The three widows were sentenced on April 2 to 45 days of house arrest for living in Pakistan illegally. Their detention ended last week.
