Al-Qaida Leader Killed in Saudi Raid (Sweet, Sweet Revenge...And So Quick)

AP | June 18, 2004 | Katherine Pfleger Shrader

[MikeA]

Jun 18, 6:22 PM (ET)

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (AP) - The leader of al-Qaida in Saudi Arabia was believed killed in a raid in the capital Friday, hours after his group claimed the beheading of an American engineer, Saudi security officials said.

A U.S. official confirmed that al-Moqrin has been killed. The official spoke on the condition of anonymity because of the sensitive nature of the information.

To establish identities, one Saudi official said forensic tests would be conducted on three bodies of militants killed in a shootout in a downtown neighborhood shortly after the discovery of Paul M. Johnson Jr.'s body.

The killing of Abdulaziz al-Moqrin, 31, would be a coup for the Saudi goverment, which has been under intense pressure to halt a wave of attacks against Westerners in the kingdom.

The Saudi-owned Al-Arabiya satellite station, which first reported al-Moqrin's death, said two other militants were also killed in the raid, and another was wounded and arrested. All three dead militants were on Saudi Arabia's list of most wanted men, security officials said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

Two suspects escaped, he said, said one Saudi security official who took part in the raid.

Al-Moqrin, who trained with Osama bin Laden in Afghanistan, is believed to be the leader of the group calling itself al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula, which claimed responsibility for Johnson's beheading.

Al-Moqrin's group has also claimed responsibility for most attacks against Westerners in Saudi Arabia in the past two months.

---

Associated Press writer Katherine Pfleger Shrader in Washington contributed to this report.

[freeangel]

Never happen. Muslims are allowed to kill infidels without fear of retribution. I get the feeling that the "terrorists" the saudis offed were really Christians.

[SpaceBar]

Let's exterminate them the way the Nazis tried to exterminate the Jews! Yeah, that's the ticket. /sarcasm

That tired mantra doesn't work anymore. We are not talking about innocent families, bankers, cobblers, lawyers, their wifes and kids being rounded up in Krakow for just being jewish, we are discussing ruthless, bloodthirsty criminals and murderers that can't be bargained with on any level, and they must be exterminated like roaches. They want you kill you. Don't you get it? Hello? The allusion to nazi genocide is laughable. If it offends you, perhaps you should seriously reconsider what side of this war of cultures you are on.

[catpuppy]

I hope that the guilty murderers were the ones who died. However, it seems very convenient to immediately find and silence the alleged killers. Previously, the Saudis sometimes have denied the US access to alleged terrorists and killed them before we could question them and before we could confirm their participation in acts of terrorism. Time will tell.

[cocoapuff]

In't it strange that every time something despicable happens in saudi arabia that the government disposes of the problem w/out other governments' participation and involvement. it makes one suspicious as to whether the people killed were in fact the perpetrators!

[Wilhelm Tell]

Remember: If Kerry were President, he would have had these guys arrested and brought to the US for trial.

No, Kerry would have mailed them a summons asking them to voluntarily appear in court or else the U.S. will get really nasty and fine them or something.

[Light Speed]

Watched the talking head known as Al Jubeir on the tube..and behold..their is a shootout with suspected terrorists..just as he is giving his press brief : )

We are doing this..blah blah...there are still some Al Qeada cells in Riyadh..they could pop up at any time..blah blah.

Some of the Saudi Royal family actually claimed that Johnsons Kidnapping was an Zionist/Israeli plot to discredit the Saudi Kingdom.

Back to Jubier..
Blah,Blah with a quivering voice..."We are blocking Bank accounts..we are making sure Funding groups are not sending money to terrorists"...

So ya..Saudi money building roads in the West Bank....Egyptians..*Tunneling into Gaza with Red Cross packages.

The neigbourhood in Iraq watches IED's get placed/burried..watches Jihadi slink up to murder American soldiers.
Same neighbourhood watch in Riyadh.

[okie01]

I wonder what it would take to get the AP to use the word "terrorist" instead of "militant" to describe these al-Qaida butchers.

A Democrat in the White House.

[Clara Lou]

They want you kill you. Don't you get it? Hello? The allusion to nazi genocide is laughable.
Hello! You must have arrived late. Do you see that post #5 has been removed? In that post, it called for the deaths of all (basically-- not a quote) Muslims. That is indeed genocide. I'm guessing that the other removed posts were some others that called for the death of all Muslims. [There were several, last I looked.] My post was spot on. Apparently, I'm not the only one here at FR who thinks that's inappropriate. BTW, every Muslim isn't a fanatical terrorist.

[Bernard]

It was a police action. As in, "we can't do anything until a crime is committed". Other than that, it does sound very convenient.

[familyofman]

"I believe they knew and waited for it to happen because saving a Westerner would require a political price to be paid."

I agree. Seems very fishy they can find the dog hours after they kill one of ours, but culdn't find him before hand. Something very wrong with the picture I'm getting. House of Saud - burn in hell.

Z

[SpaceBar]

Statistically, the great majority of the people who need elimination due to engaging in terrorist activity happen to be muslim, not all but most. Since #5 apparently suggested killing anyone claiming the islamic faith before it was deleted, and yes that is obviously drastic knee-jerk thinking, I attributed that comment to you. My apologies. I'm suggesting only killing those who do not agree to absolute unconditional surrender to US military forces.

[olde north church]

Actually, it's not genocide. Genocide is against a race/ethnic background. islam is a political movement, masquerading as a religion. It would more properly be called a purge, a la Stalin, hero of the left.

[ZOTnot]

And what do you propose instead? Lay down and roll over?

[freebilly]

I see your million and raise you a billion.

That would effectively take care of the problem....

[apackof2]

Very good, you win best comment!

[MplsSteve]

I absolutely agree.

it always seems (to me anyway) that the Saudis are always catching and/or killing these losers after they've committed one of their crimes.

I can't but help wonder what side the Saudis are on.

[kanawa]

There's something about this story that doesn't sound right.

"Two suspects escaped, he said, said one Saudi security official who took part in the raid.

They seem to have a knack for letting suspects escape.

[Clara Lou]

And what do you propose instead? Lay down and roll over?
So, let me see-- the choices as you see them are A) kill all Muslims or B) lay down and roll over. This is really the way you see the world?

[Clara Lou]

Actually, it's not genocide. Genocide is against a race/ethnic background. islam is a political movement, masquerading as a religion. It would more properly be called a purge, a la Stalin, hero of the left.
I'm aware of that-- "gene"...genocide. The word I used in my original post is "exterminate." I think that the problem is that "purge" sounds--these days anyway-- much less evil than "genocide." After all, one purges pipes.