Saudi forces kill suspected militants after siege

[shugah]

Saudi forces kill suspected militants after siege
Mon Feb 27, 2006 7:41 AM ET169

RIYADH (Reuters) - Saudi forces on Monday killed five suspected militants believed to be linked to an al Qaeda attack on the world's biggest oil processing plant, the Interior Ministry said.

A shootout erupted at dawn after security forces besieged suspects in a villa in east Riyadh where several Western residential compounds are located.

An official statement said five men were killed and one other suspected militant was arrested elsewhere in the capital.

"Early this morning security forces stormed a building in east Riyadh which a criminal gang was using as a center for attacks and corruption," it said. "All five were killed after an intense exchange of fire."

The shootout took place days after al Qaeda suicide bombers tried to storm the Abqaiq oil facility in the first direct strike on a Saudi energy target since the militant group launched attacks aimed at toppling the U.S.-allied monarchy in 2003. The kingdom is the world's biggest oil exporter.

http://today.reuters.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=worldNews&storyID=2006-02-27T124031Z_01_L27240619_RTRUKOC_0_US-SAUDI-CLASH.xml

[plasticsundance]

1. Saudi Arabia is quick to put out the PR.

That country really does pursue the full of shit line to the max. First, the article claims that al-Qaeda is weakened, but Saudi Arabia has been telling us that for the last three years. Then the article states the following:

The men killed on Monday have not yet been identified.

"This is not a new generation," he said, referring to the latest incidents. "It's clear that these are people the security forces have been tracking over the past two years."

It almost implies that they've just about nipped the problem in the bud, and we're supposed to suspend our incredulous to believe that al-Qaeda or other terrorist cells have not succeeded in new recruits.

The government of Saudi Arabia will do and say anything, because this has the potential to spike oil beyond anyone's control.

[Village Idiot]

2. "Round up the usual suspects..."