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Saudi security forces 'allowed kidnappers to flee'-
timesonline ^ | May 31, 2004 | BY AGENCIES IN AL-KHOBAR, SAUDI ARABIA

Posted on 05/31/2004 9:17:47 AM PDT by Flavius

Saudi security forces 'allowed kidnappers to flee' BY AGENCIES IN AL-KHOBAR, SAUDI ARABIA

Saudi security forces allowed some kidnappers in the bloody weekend attack on a residential compound to flee because they threatened to blow up the building, according to reports.

At least 22 people died in the attack, including a Briton whose body was dragged through the streets of the port city of al-Khobar.

One employee of the Oasis compound said today that a hostage heard the gunmen shouting that they would release their captives if the security forces let them go.

"The security forces refused at the beginning but then apparently relented," he said.

"There was a kind of a deal reached to let the hostages go free, though some hostages had already been killed." Nine hostages died after their throats were cut.

This employee's account could not be independently confirmed as Saudi authorities have not provided many details on how the stand-off ended when security forces stormed the building yesterday, freeing 41 captives.

A Saudi security official, speaking to the Associated Press, would not directly address whether the militants were allowed to escape. But he said: "Our main priority was the hostages, and those guys who ran away, we know how to find them."

Only one of the four attackers was captured and a series of nationwide checkpoints has been set up in the kingdom to try and capture the remaining three.

The Interior Ministry said the arrested militant, who was wounded, was the ringleader of the assault and "an important target".

Authorities were searching a hotel in the Oasis compound today for evidence and any explosives left behind by suspected al-Qaeda militants.

Blood stains, glass shards, bullet holes and evidence of grenade blasts scarred the compound, according to one employee who had been inside to assess the damage.

The official death toll from the 25-hour ordeal was eight Indians, three Filipinos, three Saudis, two Sri Lankans, an American, a Briton, an Italian, a Swede, a South African and a 10-year-old Egyptian.

The worst terror attack on Saudi soil in a year and the second this month to target its oil industry began on Saturday morning, when militants in military-style dress opened fire inside two oil industry office compounds in the Gulf city of Khobar.

They then moved up the street to the Oasis, an upscale resort and residence with apartments, villas and hotels, where they took at least 50 hostages.

Diane Reed, an American woman living at the Oasis, was receiving treatment today at a Khobar hospital for a gunshot wound to her leg. She said she was inside her villa when the trouble began.

"It happened very quickly. ... I heard some shots," said Ms Reed, lying in her hospital bed. The hospital administrator and hospital security guards arrived and ordered journalists to leave before she could finish.

A statement released yesterday and attributed to al-Qaeda’s chief in the Saudi region, Abdulaziz Issa Abdul-Mohsin al-Moqrin, said that the attack aimed to punish the kingdom for its oil dealings with the United States and to drive "crusaders" from "the land of Islam".

Saudi Arabia relies on 6 million expatriate workers to run its oil industry and related sectors.

The attack was expected to have some affect on world oil markets, where prices have been at new highs, but analysts have said that jitters shouldn’t be too strong since no hard oil facilities, such as refineries, were targeted.

Most oil markets were closed today, but one open in Tokyo indicated traders are concerned, with crude oil futures up.

A Tokyo based oil broker told Dow Jones Newswires that the al-Khobar attack fueled fears of more such violence in oil producing nations at a time when global crude supply remains tight.

Dead Briton planned return

British neighbours and friends of Michael Hamilton, an expatriate oil worker who was killed in the attack, today spoke of their "shock" at the weekend’s events.

Many said that Mr Hamilton and his wife Penelope were planning to move back permanently to their house in the picturesque town of Rye, East Sussex, in the near future after many years in the Middle East.

Derek Bayntun - a restauranteur and near neighbour who described Mr Hamilton as a "quiet, gentle man" - said that work was being carried at the couple’s seaview house on Point Hill ahead of their anticipated return.

He said: "It is a nice house and they have been doing a lot of work on it and I think Penelope was looking forward to having more time there.

"He was obviously committed to his job in Saudi Arabia but presumably had been getting ready for his retirement." Another neighbour, who did not want to be named, said: "Point Hill is in deep mourning for great friends."

Frances Catt, a friend of Mrs Hamilton’s family, said: "It is a very shocking thing.

"It is a terrible tragedy for Penny because they were looking forward to sharing their retirement together after such a long period working in Saudi."

She added that Mrs Hamilton - who grew up in the area - would visit the Rye house more often, but would still spend most of the time in Saudi Arabia with her husband.

It is thought that Mrs Hamilton’s sister and other friends have travelled out to the Middle East to comfort her.


TOPICS: News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: flee; khobar; kidnappers; saudi; saudiarabia
... the Spanish trains keep rolling...

... lack of equipment, few, poorly trained, and causing havoc... very inexpensively

1 posted on 05/31/2004 9:17:48 AM PDT by Flavius
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To: Flavius
"Saudi security forces 'allowed kidnappers to flee'"

Well, of course the did, they were Saudi princes. They were probably still unhappy about being hustled out of the US on 9/11 and wanted to get their licks in.

What was it, two years ago when a cluster of Saudi Princes died by accident. Are the escaped kerrorists associated with the vic or perp princes?

If we'd only exploit our own oil, we could afford to encourage the destabilization of these Saudi savages and replace them with folks, like the UN, who would concerntrate on stealing and not political or religious power.

2 posted on 05/31/2004 9:31:19 AM PDT by Tacis (,)
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To: Flavius

Next headline: "Wounded terrorist escapes Saudi hospital"


3 posted on 05/31/2004 9:33:14 AM PDT by TheOldRepublic
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To: Flavius
Nine hostages died after their throats were cut.

There is no excuse for this at all. They had guns and could have mercifully shot them. Yet all we hear about is the naked pictures from the prison from our domestic enemies (ABC,CBS,NBC,CNN etc.).

These creatures are truly barbarous.

4 posted on 05/31/2004 9:39:48 AM PDT by The_Media_never_lie
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To: Flavius

Not going to believe this story until it's independently confirmed.


5 posted on 05/31/2004 9:40:30 AM PDT by OldFriend (LOSERS quit when they are tired/WINNERS quit when they have won)
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To: OldFriend

Does it dawn on anyone that there is a lot of escapin' going on amongst our allies? First Pakistan had Bin Laden cornered, then maybe Zarkawi, oops!, they sneaked out a tunnel. We have Sadr cornered in Najaf. Well, the fighting is all over, we have worked out a deal and Iraqi national forces will be providing security. Oops! The Sadr militia is violating the cease fire. Oops, we don't know where Sadr is. Our friends the Saudi defense forces have the hostage takers surrounded. Oops! They captured one and the other three escaped.


6 posted on 05/31/2004 11:25:24 AM PDT by meenie
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To: Flavius

Again, the Saudis have failed. Can you think of a more incompetent group of ef-ups than these tribes with flags?


7 posted on 05/31/2004 1:59:33 PM PDT by Archangelsk (15 out of 19. The House of Saud must be driven into the desert.)
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To: Archangelsk

if they have an islamic revolution this would seem like a picnic


8 posted on 05/31/2004 2:52:22 PM PDT by Flavius ("... we should reconnoitre assiduosly... " Vegetius)
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