The al-Qaeda cell in Saudi Arabia acknowledged in an online statement that surfaced Monday that two of its members were killed last week in a shootout with security forces that they described as battle to defend the wife and family of their leader.
| Not to mention the head they had in the fridge... |
In a statement that surfaced on Islamic Web sites, al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula gave its own account of the raid last Tuesday on a house in Riyadh. US-based counter-terrorism expert Evan Kohlmann also noted the statement on his own Web site. The house was believed to be the hideout of Saleh Mohammed al-Aoofi, the group's leader. Saudi security forces detained al-Aoofi's wife and three children after raiding the house and finding the head of slain American hostage Paul M. Johnson Jr.
| It was in the fridge. Don't forget that part... |
The statement described a fierce battle with security forces, who blocked the house's exits with five cars that they set on fire "to prevent the mujahedeen from taking the family's car out."
| Uh huh, the cops rammed cars into the exits and set them on fire. |
The Interior Ministry said two militants were killed and three were injured in the battle, which also injured three security forces. The online statement acknowledged that Issa Saad Mohammed bin Oushan, who was on Saudi Arabia's most-wanted list, and Mujab Abu-Ras Al-Dossary, were killed in the raid. It said one of the three injured, Mashaal bin al-Sheik Hamoud al-Faraj, later died from his wounds.
| Hope it was a very painful, slow lingering death |
"After the wife of the mujahed ... al-Aoofi insisted that the mujahedeen should go out and leave her, after they nearly killed themselves in her defense, the mujahedeen decided to (pull out), and that happened with God's grace and no one of the brothers were hurt during it," the statement said.
"Leave me behind, save yourselves!"
"OK" |
Saudi TV footage of the site of the raid in the King Fahd neighborhood of Riyadh showed the hulks of several burned out cars, a gutted pickup truck and another car with a shattered windshield and bullet holes. The footage also showed bloodstained and bullet-pocked walls, a bloodied blanket and a white robe, torn and pink with blood.
Security forces also seized weapons - including an anti-aircraft SAM-7 missile - explosives, chemicals, video cameras and cash from the al-Qaeda house. The statement identified the wounded as Hamad bin Shadeed al-Harby, who it said was hit in the heart;
and Saleh al-Ghaith, who later returned to the house and was apparently arrested.
| Saleh al-Ghaith, AKA "Dopey" |
| "Hey, man! My Grandaddy gimme that missile! I couldn't leave it behind!" |
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