Saudi soldiers landing on top of hostage building.

CNN

[Dr. Eckleburg]

CNN now showing Saudi soldiers dropping from helicopter onto the roof of the building where terrorists are holding foreign hostages.

[CWOJackson]

"Can't argue a guy whose a member of the Church of St. John Browning."

I don't watch much TV but sometimes my wife can convince me to watch a movie with her. We watched Cold Creek Manor today (family being stalked by the whack job who used to own their new home). At one point the wife (in the movie) goes to NYC then comes back to their home. My wife piped up about hoping she had brought her good friend "Beretta" back with her.

The wife's (real one) a pretty good shot with hers.

[Travis McGee]

The landing in Somalia was non-tactical. The real recon had been done days before. The landing filmed on CNN was for show.

[Armedanddangerous]

My dear saintly retired schoolteacher mother has her friend a 2 inch model 642 Smith and Wesson 38 airweight snubby. She calls it her "longtime companion."


I also gave her a fully serrated Spyderco Endura Clipit. She carries it in case she has to "cut some bad guy's privates off," as she puts it.

Mom was raised on a farm with bigger brothers, as I am sure you can imagine.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Got this:

A statement purportedly from al Qaeda, posted on Islamist Web sites, claimed responsibility for the Khobar attack.

______________________________________________________________________________

Saudi Commandos Raid Compound Where Hostages Held
Sat May 29, 2004 11:07 PM ET

KHOBAR, Saudi Arabia (Reuters) - Dozens of Saudi commandos raided a housing compound in the eastern oil city of Khobar on Sunday in a bid to free some 50 foreign hostages held by suspected al Qaeda militants.

Witnesses saw members of the special forces dropping from three twin-bladed military helicopters onto the roof of a building in the compound amid gunfire.

The building is believed to be the one where up to five militants are holding the hostages, who were seized during attacks on Saturday and include Americans and other Westerners. They are believed to be held on the sixth floor.

The militants holed up in the Oasis compound after killing at least nine Saudis and seven foreigners in attacks on Saturday on complexes housing Western oil firms and expatriates.

Security sources had said the building where the hostages are being held had been booby-trapped. Ambulances and fire engines stood ready at the site.

The assault on compounds housing the expatriates was likely to rattle oil markets and dent confidence in the kingdom's grip on security as it battles militants loyal to Saudi-born al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden.

A statement purportedly from al Qaeda, posted on Islamist Web sites, claimed responsibility for the Khobar attack.

---

[Armedanddangerous]

I kind of thought the terrorists had gotten away from the whole taking hostages in a barricade situation kind of deal? I hadn't heard of anyone doing that in a long time.

Wouldn't they have figured by now that with all the high speed hostage rescue teams out there it was a no-win sitation?

The question is, does this show despiration on their part or a tendancy to be continually trying new things?

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Details:

________________________________________________________________________________

'Qaeda' Statement Claims Saudi Khobar Attack-Site
Sat May 29, 2004 06:01 AM ET

DUBAI (Reuters) - Al Qaeda, in a purported statement carried on an Islamist Web site, claimed Saturday's attack on expatriate housing compounds and oil companies in the Saudi city of al-Khobar in which at least five foreigners were killed.

"With the grace of God, a squadron of our heroic mujahideen have today stormed American companies... that are specialized in oil and which steal the wealth of Muslims," said the statement which was signed by the "al Qaeda network in the Arabian Peninsula."

The Islamist Web site, run by a Saudi dissident, has carried similar statements in the past.

[Dr. Eckleburg]

"building...booby-trapped."

That's not good.

[KiaKaha]

You are thinking about the Egyptian Force 777, I believe they hold the record for the worst Counter Terrorist Ops ever.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

I have heard both. Fox had some guy on who said that the terrorists have given up on hiding the west targets cause they are so well defended and feel that they must hit something to keep their momentum and are going for soft targets in muslim countries. Course that is causing a backlash, so he thought that we are close to the end of attacks.

[sissyjane]

bookmark

[CWOJackson]

Don't forget the french. Remember their little commando raid on a Green Peace ship...one unarmed environmental wasko dead, one unarmed ship sunk.

[barker]

It's JFK's birthday.

Mine too.

[Armedanddangerous]

Happy birthday Mrs. Barker.

[barker]

Thank you. ;-)

[BenLurkin]

[Armedanddangerous]

Is that a CH-53?

[BenLurkin]

I have no idea. There are many FReepers better schooled on these things than I.

The best Old Ben could venture is that it is an American made chopper - probably by United Technologies.

[Armedanddangerous]

"I have no idea. There are many FReepers better schooled on these things than I."

I don't know either. It just looked to me like some of the birds I saw around a Marine base I visited a few years back. I was thinking those were CH-53s.

[Poundstone]

It's a CH-46