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| Arabia |
| Four Yanbu Terrorists From the Same Family |
| 2004-05-04 |
| The Interior Ministry has identified the four terrorists as members of the same family â brothers Samir Suleiman Al-Ansari, Sami Suleiman Al-Ansari, and their cousins Ayman Abdul Qader Al-Ansari and Mustafa Abdul Qader Al-Ansari. Mustafa was wanted by the authorities and last left the Kingdom 10 years ago when he joined Saudi dissidents Saad Al-Faqih and Muhammad Al-Masari in London. He sneaked into the country to carry out his terror activities. Ambassador James C. Oberwetter told reporters after meeting the American community that his call to leave the Kingdom was merely a request. âThe US government is not in a position to cause that to happen. Those are individual decisions by private Americans.â He expressed sympathy for the families of the Western expatriates and the Saudi who died in the gunfire as well as to the injured survivors. Commenting on the attack on Saturday when two Americans, two British, one Australian and a Saudi were killed, he said investigations were still under way, but information so far indicated the operation was planned at least several days before and not spontaneous. One of the vehicles used was a Coast Guard van and another, according to eyewitnesses, had been purchased for cash in Yanbu several days before the killing spree. Oberwetter said the attacks were therefore unlikely to have been spurred by the release of photographs of US and British soldiers abusing and humiliating Iraqi prisoners. The reaction of the British and Australian governments has been more muted. A travel advisory issued yesterday by the Australian government said: âAustralians should defer non-essential travel to Saudi Arabia. Australians in Saudi Arabia concerned for security should consider departure. Australians who choose to remain should exercise extreme caution.â Since May 2003, the government of Australia has authorized the voluntary departure of the dependents of Australian Embassy staff in Riyadh. The UK government advised on May 2 against âall but essential travel to Saudi Arabia,â saying that if British nationals choose to remain or travel they âshould take all necessary steps to protect your safety and make sure you have confidence in your individual security arrangements.â It suggests a high level of vigilance and avoidance of places where foreigners gather, citing hotels as an example. The killing spree in Yanbu began early Saturday when four men sprayed the offices of oil contractor ABB Lummus with gunfire and then drove through Yanbu heading for a boysâ school before being stopped and killed by police. Eyewitnesses said they saw at least one mutilated body dragged through the streets behind the terroristsâ car, according to the AP news agency. A US Embassy spokeswoman confirmed one of the bodies was badly mutilated. However, an official statement carried by the Saudi Press Agency has denied this. The ABB group yesterday confirmed the identification of the five Westerners killed. It named them as Americans Stephen LaGuardia, 62, and Philip Coplen, 53; Britons Michael Hardy, 44, and Michael McGillen, 52; and Australian Anthony Mason, 57. ABB has said that all its remaining 90 expatriate employees and some 30 family members in Yanbu will leave the Kingdom in the next few days. âWe are shocked and saddened by the tragic loss of life and injuries sustainedâ by the companyâs staff, said Gary Steel, an ABB executive. France yesterday condemned âwith the greatest firmnessâ the Yanbu attacks. Government spokesman Hervé Ladsous said it was an âodious attackâ, adding his countryâs âmost profound condolences to the authorities of the countries of which the victims were citizens, as well as to their families.â Jordanian Prime Minister Faisal Fayez also denounced the attacks and underscored the importance of stability in Saudi Arabia, saying the Kingdomâs security was âkey to the security of Jordanâ and that of the entire region. In Yanbu Al-Bahr, 14 kilometers north of the Royal Commission industrial site where the attacks happened, life was returning to normal yesterday. Children were playing football in vacant lots and women were going about their shopping and domestic chores. âWe wonât let the terrorists take over our life,â said Ali Obaid who was shopping with his family. âIf we did, they would have won.â |
| Posted by:tipper |
| #1 Mustafa was wanted by the authorities and last left the Kingdom 10 years ago when he joined Saudi dissidents Saad Al-Faqih and Muhammad Al-Masari in London. He sneaked into the country to carry out his terror activities. WTF!? Victims of our own stupidity. |
| Posted by: Howard UK 2004-05-04 1:31:08 PM |