JEDDAH, 21 August 2006 — Five suspected militants were arrested in an operation involving hundreds of police officers and special forces who had gathered around a three-story villa in the Al-Ajwad area of Jeddah last night, according to sources.
Local residents said police had been in the area since 6 p.m. Hashim Al-Biladi, a municipal worker, said: “The police presence in the area has been growing since Maghreb (sunset) when there were sounds of gunfire.”
Police snipers were earlier seen taking positions on surrounding buildings. Police advised residents in the area to stay indoors, but some families decided to evacuate the area.
The villa was rented by Sulaiman Al-Umayri, an elderly Saudi national, a month ago. He later sublet rooms to other residents.
Al-Ajwad is a middle-class suburb of Jeddah located off the Briman Exit on the east side of Makkah Highway.
