December 06, 2004

US Consulate Attacked in Saudi Arabia (UPDATED)

The US Consulate in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, was attacked today. No reports of American casualties. New York Times:

group of attackers stormed the American Consulate in the Saudi Arabian city of Jidda today, using explosives at the gates to breach the outer wall and enter the compound, the Saudi Interior Ministry said in a statement. Three of the attackers were killed and two were wounded and detained when they battled with Saudi security forces, the ministry said.

Four Saudi guards were also killed and 18 members of the consulate's local staff were taken hostage, Reuters quoted security officials as saying.

The Saudis have been doing a pretty good job of fighting terrorists since the second Khobar incident. They now understand that they are targets as well. Ironically (or something like irony) , they continue to be the number one funders of the religious extremism which will eventually lead to the downfall of the House of Saud.

UPDATE: Chad at In the Bullpen notes:

According to Monsoor Ijaz on Fox News, the terrorists who stormed the U.S. consulate office are connected to Abu Musab al-Zarqawi's Tawhid wal Jihad movement. According to Ijaz, there were rumors indicating similar targets in Algeria and Morocco which failed. The terrorists were hoping to gain access to the consulate and take American hostages.
Preston at the Buffet has this:
Robert Spencer has a little more on the Saudi reaction, including this AP article which refers to the islamofascists as merely a "stray bunch". Is that because the attackers weren't government-approved islamofascists?
Hat tip: James Joyner

Others: Captain Ed, Chad (and here), Pirate's Cove, Jimmy "Six Meat" Buffet, John Little, Jane, Beth, MUSC Tiger, Poliblog,

By Rusty Shackleford, Ph.D. at 08:29 AM | |