JEDDAH, 8 December 2004 — The main doors of the Soliman Fakeeh Hospital were shut during the attack on the US Consulate preventing anyone from entering or exiting the hospital. National Guard soldiers surrounded the place fearing that the terrorists might escape to the hospital as the injured were being rushed to the emergency room.
“I was heading back to the hospital when I saw a white car trying to ram into in the east gate of the consulate,” said an eyewitness who works at the hospital. “Then five people jumped out of this car and started shooting with their guns at the police guards standing over there,” he said, pointing at the Hail Street entrance.
“I soon ran back to the hospital and 15 minutes later all its entrances were shut down and we were ready to receive the injured from the consulate. A while after, we heard a loud thump like an explosion followed by a hail of gunshots for half an hour.”
“Some people were curious to know what was happening so they went up to the sixth floor to be able to get a closer look at the consulate. They told me that they saw around seven hostages being dragged along by four terrorists. The hostages looked like foreigners from a distance and one of them had blond hair,” the eyewitness said.
Three of the injured at the hospital were in the emergency room. The driver of Monica Lemieux’s diplomatic vehicle, Asad Ahmad, said: “I was entering the gate when bullets were showered on the car. We immediately got down but the gunfire went on for what seemed like five minutes.” Ahmad was injured by pieces of glass that went through his shoulder.
Wenceslao Pescante Jr., a Filipino employed by the consulate, was in the same car next to Asad Ahmad when the attack took place. Pescante refused to give any statement to Arab News as he said, “I was given orders not to give out any information to the press, but I am in a good condition.”
Pedro Gonzales, an Indian chef who worked for the US Marines, was under sedation supported by a ventilator in the emergency room. His wife was at his bedside and said, “I didn’t know that my husband was injured until eight on Monday night. They called me and told me that he was injured.”
One of the general services officers visiting his injured friends said: “Although I am not authorized to talk to the press, I have to say that I am very sorry to see my colleagues in this condition. I hope they recover soon.”
Ali Al-Ajran was among the officers who were injured in the attack. His cousin told Arab News that Ali was in the guard-hut when he saw the attackers. “Instantly he aimed his weapon at them and they exchanged fire. The guard-hut burst into flames and he was injured by two shots in his right hand and another shot in his left.”
