The Hindu : International : Al-Qaeda claims Jeddah attack

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Wednesday, Dec 08, 2004

International

International

Al-Qaeda claims Jeddah attack

JEDDAH, DEC. 7. Osama bin Laden's Al-Qaeda claimed today the attack on the U.S. consulate in Jeddah, dealing a blow to the Saudi Government's attempts to wipe out Islamist militants behind a wave of terror strikes.

Monday's broad-daylight assault on the fortified compound in the Red Sea city claimed 13 lives, including consulate staff, gunmen and Saudi guardsmen, though there are conflicting reports and a final official toll is not available.

The U.S. President, George W. Bush, said the attack showed that terrorists were still at large in the oil-rich desert kingdom and the Saudi Government vowed there would be no let up in its fight against extremists.

But there are fears foreigners could take fright and flee the kingdom, which has seen scores of people killed in a renewed wave of violence since May 2003 despite a government crackdown.

The Saudi branch of Al-Qaeda claimed in a Web site statement that it was behind the attack and said some assailants had managed to flee before security forces regained control of the compound.

``Your brothers of the squadron of the martyr Abu Annas al-Shami stormed one of the bastions of the American crusaders in the Arabian peninsula, in Jeddah,'' it said.

``They were able to withdraw from the consulate and reach a safe place, after losing two martyrs who covered the retreat of the mujahedeen, three of whom were wounded and are being treated,'' said the statement signed by the Al-Qaeda Organisation in the Arabian Peninsula. — AFP

Indian identified

UNI reports from Dubai:

The Indian, who was one of the five American Consulate staff killed in Jeddah, has been identified. Muhammad Basheeruddin (28), a procurement clerk, was confirmed dead at around 6.30 pm local time. ``Since noon, I have been trying to ascertain the fate of my brother,'' his elder brother Aamer told the Saudi Gazette. ``Till then his name was shown in the list of injured,'' he cried.

Mr. Basheeruddin's family is in deep shock and his wife is in a state of trauma, one of their relatives said. He joined the Consulate staff 18 months ago, got married in August and brought his wife over to Jeddah two months ago.

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