Regards, Ivan
Posted on 09/15/2004 10:55:33 PM PDT by MadIvan
A BRITISH man was shot dead by suspected al-Qaeda terrorists in Saudi Arabia yesterday, sparking fears that Osama bin Laden’s network is about to launch a new wave of attacks to destabilise the kingdom.
Three gunmen, driving past in a car, ambushed the man in the car park of a shopping complex on the Khurais road in the east of the capital, Riyadh.
The victim, named by security sources as 50-year-old Edward Smith, who worked for a communications firm, was shot twice in the chest and twice in the head.
He was the first Briton to be killed in Saudi Arabia since the end of May when banker Michael Hamilton was shot at point-blank range in the eastern city of Khobar.
A week later, Frank Gardner, the BBC security correspondent, was critically injured in a shooting in Saudi that killed his Irish cameraman, Simon Cumbers. Mr Gardner is still recovering at a London hospital.
The last westerner killed in Saudi Arabia was an Irishman who was shot in his office at the beginning of August, although that was thought to be an opportunistic attack rather than the work of al-Qaeda.
Yesterday’s shooting appeared to be a professional attack by al-Qaeda militants.
The timing could not have been worse for the Saudi authorities, who claimed just two weeks ago that they had defeated the terrorist threat and were wiping out the "last pockets".
Yesterday’s killing came as thousands of expatriate workers returned to the kingdom after holidays at home, where many had used the break to decide whether living in Saudi Arabia had become too risky.
To the relief of the Saudi authorities, there has been no mass exodus among the 25,000-strong British community. The British School in Riyadh has seen its roll drop by 100 to 600 since this time last year.
There have been few serious terrorist attacks in Saudi since June, when security forces dealt a big blow to al-Qaeda’s network there by shooting dead its former leader, Abdul Aziz al-Muqrin.
However, there has been no let-up to lethal shoot-outs between militants and the Saudi security forces and the Foreign Office’s travel advice states: "There is a continuing high threat of terrorism in Saudi Arabia. We believe terrorists are planning further attacks in Saudi Arabia, including against westerners and places associated with westerners."
Saudi leaders claim to have smashed the terrorist threat to their rule that erupted in May last year with suicide bombings on residential compounds for westerners.
Crown Prince Abdullah said recently: "We have passed the stage of terrorism. What you are seeing today is the liquidation of the last pockets."
He added: "We directly targeted the heads of the snakes in order to cut them off. Many were killed, some were arrested and the rest surrendered."
Muqrin was killed after masterminding a spate of bloody attacks, including one at the end of May when 22 people, including Michael Hamilton, died in raids on compounds in Khobar. But three of the four gunmen who launched the Khobar raids are still at large, as is Saleh al-Oufi, a former prison guard who became al-Qaeda’s leader in the kingdom after Muqrin’s death.
He escaped a botched police raid on his home in July when the severed head of an American hostage, Paul Johnson, was found in a fridge. Of the 26 most wanted terrorists listed by Saudi authorities, 11 are still at large.
Saudi authorities say a security clampdown means terrorists can no longer launch spectacular raids such as those in May on compounds in Khobar.
They argue it is a sign of al-Qaeda’s weakness that the group is attacking lone westerners, who make softer targets than fortress-like compounds.
Any fresh upsurge in terrorist activity in Saudi Arabia will cause dismay in Washington. The United States is relying on stability in the kingdom, which is pumping more oil to keep prices down.
Last night Sir Sherard Cowper-Cole, the British ambassador in Riyadh, said: "Our thoughts and prayers are with the family, friends and colleagues of the Briton killed today in Riyadh. They should know - as the terrorists must know - that his murder will only make the British government more determined to stand with the Saudi government and people in the struggle against senseless terror of this kind."
Regards, Ivan
Ping!
Just heard on FOX news that 3 private British citizens were taken hostage in Baghdad.
Whatever happened to those two Italian women aid workers who were kidnapped a few weeks ago?
I just heard that too. They cannot hope to succeed against the UK. This is the country that won the Battle of Britain and the Battle of the Atlantic. They better get back to the French journalists if they want to have some influence. UK will not budge until they are at the shores.
Our election is coming up soon. I expect that al-Queda will step up the attacks on the U.S. and our allies in an attempt to sway the election. It's only going to get worse between now and November.
I have no idea, nor have I heard anything about the French journalists.
Have you heard anything about the French journalists?
No I have not. I wish them well.
Hello, Ivan. I agree! It's time someone put the pressure on.
"US blasts Saudi 'religious curbs'" (BBC)
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/3660458.stm
"US blacklists 'repressive' Saudi Arabia" (Al-Jazeera)
http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/B6097398-09D7-457D-8DAE-9713C5099BA8.htm
A fresh campaign?..hmmmm.....excuse me Sir, but when did they stop?
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