JEDDAH, 30 September 2003 — Unknown assailants attacked a police observation post on the Corniche on Sunday and threatened officials from the Jeddah Municipality. The attackers damaged the municipality’s minibus, which was parked near the post.
“This time we got the door. Next time we’ll get you and the office,” said a message left by the assailants on the building, according to Al-Madinah newspaper.
The attack, which took place while the police and municipal officials were away, left all the windows of the vehicle in shards.
Informed sources told Al-Madinah that the assailants were apparently targeting a particular municipal official who works at the post.
Corniche patrol police, in coordination with the municipality, carry out joint operations to deter illegal fireworks vendors as well as private horse and bike owners, whose illegal activities often cause huge inconvenience to the public on the Corniche.
Officials frequently arrest the owners of horses and bikes, and confiscate their vehicles and animals. As a result, the police observation post has come under attack several times in the past.
Recently, a female vendor chased away patrol officers by throwing stones at them.
Patrol police have established seven posts on the Corniche. According to their latest report, they arrested 28 illegal vendors after seizing their goods. They also confiscated 39 horses, 15 donkeys, eight camels and 10 carriages.
“Police have also arrested their owners and handed them to the authorities,” Al-Madinah newspaper said.
In another, unrelated crime, four robbers, including an African woman, stole SR1.3 million from a Saudi businessman.
According to the report, also carried by Al-Madinah, the businessman had agreed to purchase goods offered by the alleged robbers for the amount during a meeting at the Meridian Hotel in Jeddah.
When the businessman visited the suspects’ apartment to receive the goods and pay the money, they beat him and escaped with the cash.
