(CNN) -- A close associate of al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden was flown from Iran to Saudi Arabia on Tuesday after surrendering to security officials at the Saudi Embassy in Tehran, a Saudi Interior Ministry official said.
Khaled al-Harbi was believed to have been living near the Afghan-Iranian border.
Video aired by the Arabic television network Al-Arabiya Tuesday showed al-Harbi being carried from a plane and placed in a wheelchair.
Al-Harbi is believed to have fought with bin Laden against Russian forces in Afghanistan about 20 years ago. Saudi officials believe al-Harbi returned to Afghanistan in the mid-1990s, joining up with al Qaeda.
In late 2001, he was identified on a videotape conversing with bin Laden about the September 11 terrorist attacks.
News of the surrender comes after a Saudi amnesty offer in late June for al Qaeda fighters to surrender within a month.
CNN's Caroline Faraj in Dubai contributed to this report.
Wonder if an injury, (an old one or more recent ?) made staying on the run or in hiding all but impossible .... maybe he needs continuing medical attention.
(CNN) -- A close associate of al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden was flown from Iran to Saudi Arabia on Tuesday after surrendering to security officials at the Saudi Embassy in Tehran, a Saudi Interior Ministry official said.
Khaled al-Harbi was believed to have been living near the Afghan-Iranian border.
Video aired by the Arabic television network Al-Arabiya Tuesday showed al-Harbi being carried from a plane and placed in a wheelchair.
Al-Harbi is believed to have fought with bin Laden against Russian forces in Afghanistan about 20 years ago. Saudi officials believe al-Harbi returned to Afghanistan in the mid-1990s, joining up with al Qaeda.
In late 2001, he was identified on a videotape conversing with bin Laden about the September 11 terrorist attacks.
News of the surrender comes after a Saudi amnesty offer in late June for al Qaeda fighters to surrender within a month.
CNN's Caroline Faraj in Dubai contributed to this report.