RIYADH, 31 August 2005 — Four Iraqi men, who clandestinely entered Saudi Arabia to steal cars, have been arrested after a gunfight with security forces in the industrial city of Jubail, a spokesman of the Ministry of Interior said here yesterday.
One suspect was wounded in the late-night shootout between security forces and the Iraqis, who tried to escape after being challenged by the patrol police, said Maj. Gen. Mansour Al-Turki.
The Iraqi men are believed to have no links with terror groups, but the case is being investigated. Al-Turki said “the apparent motive of this group of Iraqi men was car theft”.
The three men opened fire after being approached by the patrol team, said Al-Turki, adding that a fourth Iraqi man — who was injured in the clash — is recovering in hospital.
The security officials later seized two cars stolen by the gunmen in the operation which they described as unprecedented.
Maj. Gen. Al-Turki further said that the security officials were vigilant and “intensive security measures” were in place on the Saudi side of the border.
He said the Iraqis were part of an organized gang which had infiltrated into the Kingdom to steal cars and smuggle them to Iraq.
It was the first time such an incident involving Iraqis was reported in the Eastern Province, although Saudi authorities reported last December that a group of Iraqis were captured by border guards and repatriated.
Al-Turki said the absence of adequate security measures on the Iraqi side of the border had emboldened the infiltrators. “In the last six months alone, more than 600 Iraqis were arrested when they tried to infiltrate into the Kingdom.”
He said security officials had foiled many more infiltration attempts in the recent past. “Most of the Iraqis were forced to turn back,” said the official.
The Kingdom shares an 830-km-long porous border with Iraq.
Of late, the Kingdom has intensified patrols along its border with neighboring countries. On an average 50,000 people, including criminals, are arrested every month while trying to cross into Saudi Arabia by land or water. The border guards also foiled attempts to smuggle huge quantities of weapons, ammunition and narcotics into the country.
