Posted on 05/29/2004 7:33:26 PM PDT by NormsRevenge
AL-KHOBAR, Saudi Arabia (AFP) -
Shooting subsided at the site of a hostage-taking drama in this Saudi oil city after a bout of intense firing, an AFP correspondent reported.
Automatic and heavy weapons were used at 2:20 am (23:20 GMT Saturday), suggesting security forces had begun storming the building where gunmen are holding an unknown number of captives, the correspondent said from just outside The Oasis compound in Al-Khobar after reporters were ordered out of the facility.
But after around 10 minutes, the firing became intermittent and eventually died down, indicating the assault might not yet have started or was being carried out in stages.
Saudi special security forces and army troops had been besieging at least four suspected Islamist extremists for several hours after they went on a shooting spree in Al-Khobar early Saturday, attacking the compound and two oil-related facilities.
Around 10 people were killed in the attacks, Saudi Crown Prince Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz said.
The security forces used floodlights after they cut power supplies to the building where the gunmen were barricaded and surrounding villas in the sprawling residential complex.
Eight hostages released Saturday night were quoted by a private security guard as saying that 50 to 54 people were left behind, but it was not clear if that was still the number of captives early Sunday.
Some 60 residents were evacuated from the compound in armored vehicles and ambulances to a hotel.
The suspected Islamist assailants earlier attacked the compound, the building of the Arab Petroleum Investment Corp (Apicorp) and a "Petroleum Center" where oil firms have offices.
It was the latest bloody episode in a wave of terror to hit Saudi Arabia over the past year, leaving some 65 people dead in total and hundreds more injured.
Presumed sympathizers of the Al-Qaeda network have been blamed for the violence, and a statement purported to be from the group claimed responsibility for the Al-Khobar carnage, although its authenticity could not be independently confirmed.
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