JEDDAH, 28 November 2004 — Saudi security forces shot dead a suspected terrorist and captured another following a gunbattle here yesterday.
The police seized three hand grenades, four bombs and a cache of live ammunition from the suspect’s car, the Interior Ministry said. Brig. Mansour Al-Turki, spokesman for the Ministry of Interior, said that it was too early to speculate on the intentions of the suspects. “One of them is dead and we will only get a clear picture after questioning the one captured. We are not sure whether they were just transporting the arms or were going to use it in an attack.”
The car was under surveillance for some days. The police made their move yesterday following suspicious movements by the suspects.
An official source said police surrounded the car in Jeddah’s Jamia district at 6.30 p.m. “When the suspect saw the police, he went for a hand grenade and the police opened fire. In the ensuing gunbattle he was killed,” the official said without naming the terrorist.
The other suspect made a run for it with police giving chase. He was later captured after a two-hour combing operation of the area. Police also found a revolver, two automatic weapons with 11 magazines, more than 400 bullets and SR9,400 in cash. A policeman on the scene said the dead man was wanted on security issues.
