Washington: Saudis give passport to terror suspect’s wife

The Saudi Embassy provided the wife of a terror suspect a passport and transit out of the United States in November, after she was subpoenaed to testify before a federal grand jury in New York investigating her husband’s possible links to the al-Qaida terrorist network, diplomatic and law enforcement sources said.

Federal law enforcement officials were outraged by the Saudi action, describing it as an obstruction of their investigation.

Maha Hafeez al-Marri and her five children flew to Saudi Arabia on Nov. 10. The FBI had confiscated passports for al-Marri and her children soon after her husband was arrested in Peoria, Ill. in late 2001.

Ali S. Al-Marri is charged with lying to the FBI about phone calls he allegedly made in the months following the 9-11 attacks to a number in the United Arab Emirates that belonged to a suspected al-Qaida operative. He also had information on chemical weapons in his apartment.

London: Park stabbing victim was American artist

A woman stabbed to death in what police said was a “frenzied” morning attack in a London park was identified Tuesday as a highly regarded American artist.

Margaret Muller, a native of Virginia who moved to Britain in 1998 to teach at the prestigious Slade School of Fine Art, was killed in east London’s Victoria Park.

Joggers and cyclists heard Muller, 27, screaming for help about 8:30 a.m. Monday and rushed to her aid. They found her slumped on a path between a rose garden and playground. By her clothing, she appeared to have been jogging at the time of the attack.

An autopsy confirmed that Muller died from multiple stab wounds, including one to the neck. Police said there was no evidence of sexual assault.