[A-List] US Imperialism: Terror in Riyadh

["annewilliamson" <annewilliamson@xxxxxxx>]

May 13, 2003 6:05 a.m. EDT





Ten Americans Are Killed
In Terror Attacks in Riyadh

Suspicion Raised of New al Qaeda Activity;
Bombings Target Expatriate Housing Complex
Associated Press


RIYADH, Saudi Arabia -- Attackers shot their way into three Saudi compounds
housing foreigners and set off suicide car bombs, killing at least 11 people
in a coordinated overnight terror strike that had the "earmarks of al
Qaeda," according to U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell, who arrived in
Saudi Arabia Tuesday on a previously scheduled visit.

Mr. Powell, after a briefing by U.S. Ambassador Robert Jordan upon his
arrival from Jordan hours after the attacks, said at least 10 Americans were
killed. The late Monday compound attacks were followed by a smaller bombing
near the headquarters of a Saudi-U.S. company in which no casualties were
immediately reported.

In Australia, a Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade spokeswoman said a
39-year-old Australian from Sydney, who worked for a computer company in
Riyadh, was among the dead.

The toll was expected to rise. Mr. Powell said "there was a large loss of
life of others." A U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said
overall casualties appear to be in the 100s and that several members of the
Saudi national guard perished in the attacks. He also said British, German,
French, Australian and other Arab citizens were among the casualties.

 WAR ON TERROR



See continuing coverage1 of terror activities and efforts to track down
terrorist groups.



Saudi officials told The Associated Press at least 50 wounded were taken to
the National Guard Hospital, and other hospitals reported at least 10
injured. A guard at one of the compounds was quoted by the Saudi paper
al-Watan saying seven cars, all apparently carrying suicide bombers,
exploded there. At least three bodies, one identified by the guard as a Sri
Lankan colleague, could be seen lying on the ground at the compound Tuesday
morning. The guard did not give his name.

Justice Department and FBI officials had no immediate indication that other
attacks might be planned against U.S. interests at home or abroad.

Mr. Powell was greeted on his arrival by Prince Saud, the Saudi foreign
minister, who expressed his sorrow and vowed to cooperate with the U.S. in
fighting terrorism.



AP Photo/Saudi TV


The attacks in Riyadh were capped by a fourth explosion outside the Saudi
Maintenance Company, a joint Saudi-U.S. venture.


Mr. Powell had said earlier the bombings "had the earmarks of al Qaeda." Al
Qaeda is known for suicide bombings and for coordinated attacks such as the
simultaneous car bombings outside American embassies in Kenya and
neighboring Tanzania in 1988 that killed some 230 people. In the Sept. 11
attacks, 19 Arab men -- 15 of them Saudi -- simultaneously hijacked four
planes, slamming two of them into New York's twin World Trade Center, a
third into the Pentagon in Washington and a fourth into a field in
Pennsylvania.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attacks.

The Saudi Interior Minister, Prince Nayef, told local newspapers the
assailants were believed to be linked to the discovery of a large weapons
cache on May 6. The government had said it was seeking 19 suspects,
including 17 Saudis, a Yemeni, and an Iraqi with Kuwaiti and Canadian
citizenships, it believed were receiving orders directly from bin Laden and
had been planning to use the seized weapons to attack the Saudi royal family
as well as American and British interests.

Prince Nayef told al-Watan that one of the 19 people sought handed himself
in -- it was unclear when -- and was being interrogated for information
about Monday's explosions. So far he had offered "limited information,"
Prince Nayef told the paper.


A U.S. embassy official said Monday's blasts were set off in the same
northeast section of the city where the May 6 weapons seizure was made.

A previously unknown Saudi group, the Mujahedeen in the Arabian Peninsula,
had linked itself to the cache found May 6 and over the weekend vowed on an
Internet site to strike American targets worldwide. It was not clear whether
the explosions in Riyadh were linked to the group.

An intelligence official in Washington said information from the past two
weeks indicated al Qaeda had been planning a strike in Saudi Arabia. Earlier
this month, the State Department advised Americans against travel to Saudi
Arabia because of increased terrorism concerns. Some 35,000 U.S. citizens
live in Saudi Arabia.

The wealthy gated communities that were attacked Monday were all in the same
area and house corporate executives and other professionals from many
countries.

John Crossley, a British telecommunications executive who was knocked
senseless by the force of a blast in his compound and suffered cuts from
glass from his shattered windows, was quoted as telling the Los Angeles
Times other villas were leveled by the force of the blast.

Mr. Crossley, speaking to the newspaper in a telephone interview from Saudi
German hospital, said a carload of men in a car shot their way into the
compound and guards gave chase through the streets until the attackers' car
exploded.

"The fact that they have attacked three compounds in a coordinated way sends
a message to the Western community that we are not safe here. It's like
they're saying, 'We can get you any time, anywhere,' " Mr. Crossley was
quoted as saying.

Witnesses at the al-Blaidh compound said the force of the blast shook nearby
buildings and rattled windows. Witnesses also reported hearing gunfire
moments before the car exploded. The compound is owned by Riyadh's deputy
governor, Abdullah al-Blaidh.

The small blast went off early Tuesday near the headquarters of the Saudi
Maintenance Company, also known as Siyanco. The company is a jointly owned
by Frank E. Basil Inc., of Washington, and local Saudi partners, officials
said.

Saudi officials have long feared that al Qaeda was planning attacks in the
oil-rich kingdom, which is the birthplace of Mr. bin Laden and home to
Islam's holiest sites.

The presence of U.S. troops has been a major concern to the Saudi
government, stoking anti-American sentiments among the people. Mr. bin Laden
has repeatedly railed against the presence of what he calls "infidel" troops
on Muslim holy land.

Last week, U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said most of the 5,000
U.S. troops in Saudi Arabia would leave by the end of summer.

Copyright (c) 2003 The Associated Press

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Updated May 13, 2003 6:05 a.m.





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