DAMMAM, 15 March 2004 — Security forces in the Eastern Province have arrested four people for their involvement in the recent car burnings in Dammam and Alkhobar.
Interrogation is under way, and sources said that of the four arrested, all were unemployed and three were teenagers. Police said that all four had confessed to the crime.
In the first incident on March 1, seven cars were burned in the Jalawiyah area. Later, four cars were torched in Jalawiyah and Anood areas. The car torchings created a panic and initial reports said that eyewitnesses had seen motorcycle riders behaving suspiciously.
In a related development, a search is on for a Saudi youth in connection with a shooting in Thugba (Alkhobar) on Friday night.
According to reports, the youth entered a grocery in Thugba and demanded the salesman give him money. When the salesman refused, the Saudi took out a revolver and shot the salesman, leaving him seriously injured. The assailant fled from the scene and the injured man was rushed to the hospital, where he is said to be in stable condition.
