MAKKAH, 7 November 2003 — Two suspected terrorists blew themselves up yesterday as security forces closed in on them in their hunt for Islamist militants in the holy city, security sources said.
“Two terrorists blew themselves up Thursday afternoon as they were being chased by security forces in the Al-Sharaie district of Makkah,” one security official told AFP news agency, requesting anonymity.
“The incident happened as security forces hunted for wanted militants,” he said.
Security sources identified the two who blew themselves up as Muteb Al-Mihyani and Sami Al-Luhaibi, both in their late 20’s.
Security forces canvassed a three-kilometer radius in their search for more suspects believed still on the run. They were also combing the rugged hills above the Al-Khadra area in the Al-Sharaie district, searching for a cache of weapons that may have been left behind by militants who managed to evade arrest after a raid on Monday which left two suspected terrorists dead and one policeman injured.
Security sources in Makkah said that police on Wednesday night scoured the Al-Sharaie area where the clash took place, the same neighborhood where the two militants later blew themselves up.
Witnesses said security forces used searchlights in the rugged region as helicopters buzzed overhead, but it was not clear if any arrests were made.
Arab News accompanied police on their high-speed search yesterday with lights and sirens blaring. They arrested a man who matched the description of a militant believed to be on the run. Heavily armed plainclothes police, special forces and uniformed police descended on a home and arrested the man at gunpoint.
However, the man was not a terrorist.
Police Lt. Fawaz Al-Otaibi told Arab News: “We received information that a man matching the description of one of the militants we are still searching for was seen entering a residence. We responded and took the man into custody without incident. It turned out that the man was a drug addict getting high in the house.”
The atmosphere was tense, and residents of this close-knit community appeared suspicious of anyone they did not recognize. Arab News asked several residents for information and directions to the area where the latest firefights between police and the militants had occurred but was met with silence. One man, a taxi driver, said the Al-Sharaie district was closed. He then picked up his mobile phone and called the police.
Police set up numerous checkpoints at the entrances and exits to the district, which led to a great deal of confusion and inconvenience.
“The whole area has been blocked off and access is limited to residents only,” said Ali Al-Shammari, a grocer. “My business has been affected. Customers I am used to seeing on a daily basis are staying home,” he said.
In Monday’s clash, two militants were killed and several terror suspects were arrested. Interior Minister Prince Naif said the two men killed were part of an eight-member Al-Qaeda cell, and that two of their accomplices surrendered and four others were captured, one of them wounded. A police officer was also slightly hurt.
An Interior Ministry statement said four Saudis, one Nigerian and one Pakistani were arrested during the Makkah clash, which also netted a large amount of weapons, including Kalashnikov assault rifles, pistols, hand grenades, rocket-propelled grenades and barrels with explosives as well as passports and ID cards.
Asked if the planned attacks foiled in Monday’s arrests had been aimed at buildings, crowded areas and pilgrims, Prince Naif said: “That is exactly what I mean. In Makkah there are only Muslims from the Kingdom and abroad. There are no other people except Muslims... Certainly (they wanted to target) buildings, installations and people. All the seized weapons indicate such a plan.”
“They targeted the holy month of Ramadan... when the Saudi and non-Saudi faithful gather” in Makkah to perform Umrah, he added.
