gunsmith
member
Qaeda Militants Kill 16, Hold 50 Hostage in Saudi
Sat May 29, 2004 03:27 PM ET
Militants Attack Saudi Compounds
By Samia Nakhoul
KHOBAR, Saudi Arabia (Reuters) - Suspected al Qaeda militants killed at least 16 people, including Westerners, and seized 50 foreigners as hostages in a Saudi city on Saturday in an attack on the world's biggest oil exporter.
Saudi forces stormed the Oasis housing compound, where the hostages were being held, in the eastern city of Khobar after the militants -- spraying gunfire at several buildings in their attack -- killed at least nine Saudis and seven foreigners.
"They are holding 50 foreign hostages. There are Americans, but there are more Italians. There are also Arabs," said a compound manager, declining to be named. He said there was an Italian restaurant in the complex, home to at least 20 Italians.
Shots rang out in the area as fighting raged between the militants and Saudi forces, who have been battling for a year to stamp out al Qaeda attacks in the kingdom -- a key U.S. ally.
The attack is the second in a month to target the oil industry and Westerners who form a large part of its workforce. Markets have been on edge over the possibility of a militant strike disrupting oil supplies because the situation in Saudi Arabia has already helped push world prices to $40 a barrel.
"NERVE CENTER"
"This is close to the nerve center of the Saudi oil industry, (state oil firm) Aramco headquarters in Dhahran," said Yasser Elguindi, an analyst with Medley Global Advisers in New York. "It could have a devastating impact on the oil market when we reopen (on Tuesday) after the Memorial Day weekend."
An American, a Briton, an Egyptian, two Filipinos, an Indian and a Pakistani were killed in the attack, along with two Saudis and seven security force members, the security sources said.
"We can verify that at least one American citizen has been injured and one killed," said Joanne Moore, a State Department spokeswoman.
Ambulances carried on rushing into the compound, suggesting the death toll might rise.
Witnesses said the militants tied the body of the Briton, an employee of Arab oil firm Apicorp, to a car and dragged it 1.2 miles before dumping it near a bridge. Continued ...
Sat May 29, 2004 03:27 PM ET
Militants Attack Saudi Compounds
By Samia Nakhoul
KHOBAR, Saudi Arabia (Reuters) - Suspected al Qaeda militants killed at least 16 people, including Westerners, and seized 50 foreigners as hostages in a Saudi city on Saturday in an attack on the world's biggest oil exporter.
Saudi forces stormed the Oasis housing compound, where the hostages were being held, in the eastern city of Khobar after the militants -- spraying gunfire at several buildings in their attack -- killed at least nine Saudis and seven foreigners.
"They are holding 50 foreign hostages. There are Americans, but there are more Italians. There are also Arabs," said a compound manager, declining to be named. He said there was an Italian restaurant in the complex, home to at least 20 Italians.
Shots rang out in the area as fighting raged between the militants and Saudi forces, who have been battling for a year to stamp out al Qaeda attacks in the kingdom -- a key U.S. ally.
The attack is the second in a month to target the oil industry and Westerners who form a large part of its workforce. Markets have been on edge over the possibility of a militant strike disrupting oil supplies because the situation in Saudi Arabia has already helped push world prices to $40 a barrel.
"NERVE CENTER"
"This is close to the nerve center of the Saudi oil industry, (state oil firm) Aramco headquarters in Dhahran," said Yasser Elguindi, an analyst with Medley Global Advisers in New York. "It could have a devastating impact on the oil market when we reopen (on Tuesday) after the Memorial Day weekend."
An American, a Briton, an Egyptian, two Filipinos, an Indian and a Pakistani were killed in the attack, along with two Saudis and seven security force members, the security sources said.
"We can verify that at least one American citizen has been injured and one killed," said Joanne Moore, a State Department spokeswoman.
Ambulances carried on rushing into the compound, suggesting the death toll might rise.
Witnesses said the militants tied the body of the Briton, an employee of Arab oil firm Apicorp, to a car and dragged it 1.2 miles before dumping it near a bridge. Continued ...
