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Arabia
Saudi Agents Killed in Security Raid
2004-01-29
Suspected terrorists exchanged fire with Saudi security forces raiding a house in Riyadh on Thursday, killing several Saudi agents, an Interior Ministry official said. One suspect was arrested. Security forces had received a tip about the house in an eastern section of the Saudi capital and came under fire when they arrived, said the official, speaking on condition of anonymity.
Usual Saudi incompetence or a planned ambush?
He said one suspected terrorist was captured and an unspecified number of security agents were killed. The official gave no further details.
It never ceases to amase me just how badly these Saudi security forces are doing their job.
Posted by:Steve

#3  I'd go with the ambush theory. The suspects were most likely tipped off long before the security forces got in their vehicles.
Posted by: Pappy   2004-1-29 4:45:32 PM  

#2  Update from Middle East Online: RIYADH - Five Saudi security men and the father of a wanted militant were killed during a raid in Riyadh on Thursday, while the militant and other suspects were arrested, the interior ministry announced.
"Based on information about the existence of weapons and explosives at the place of residence of a man wanted on security charges, a security unit went to the place accompanied by his father," said a ministry official quoted by the SPA news agency. "Two hand grenades, two machine-guns and five pistols were found. As the unit was completing its task, it came under heavy fire from unknown elements, which resulted in the deaths of five security men and the wanted man's father. "Two security men were also wounded," the official said.
The interior ministry official added that the wanted militant, as well as "a number of suspects," were arrested, and that "the incident is still being followed up." Residents said earlier that members of the Saudi "special forces" chased wanted militants hiding in a villa in the Fayhaa area of Al-Nassim district, they said. "The two sides are exchanging fire and ambulances have been evacuating casualties, but we don't known if these are dead or wounded," said one resident. Saudi security forces clashed with gunmen in the same Al-Nassim district on January 18, and the capital's police chief subsequently said "a number of suspects" had been arrested.


So, security forces took dad to his son's house. They found a bunch of guns and were loading them up when sonny and his buds came back and found them. Gunfight breaks out, dad gets popped along with 5 cops. Sonny and a few other "suspects" get jugged and some guys may have gotten away. That explains why all the cops got shot, they thought the house was empty and dropped their guard. Assuming the story is true, of course. Wonder who "sonny" is?
Posted by: Steve   2004-1-29 1:18:41 PM  

#1  It never ceases to amase me just how badly these Saudi security forces are doing their job.

It's all about control - if these guys are good enough to get terrorists with minimal casualties, they're also good enough to overthrow the government. Considerations like this are why even the most prosperous empires have fallen to invaders from abroad. From an Arab ruler's perspective, the most dangerous threats are from within, not from without. This is also why the Arabs need us - they take care of internal threats while we take care of the guys from abroad.
Posted by: Zhang Fei   2004-1-29 12:07:09 PM  

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