JEDDAH, 26 February 2006 — Al-Qaeda has claimed responsibility for Friday’s foiled attack on the world’s largest oil processing facility at Abqaiq in Saudi Arabia’s Eastern Province.
In a statement posted on a website often used by Al-Qaeda, the terror network claimed responsibility for Friday afternoon’s attack. The deviant group also threatened to carry out more attacks on oil refineries in the country. Osama Bin Laden, the Al-Qaeda leader, urged his supporters a year ago to target Gulf oil facilities. Al-Qaeda said two of its members had carried out the operation. The statement named the attackers as Mohammed Al-Ghaith and Abdullah Al-Tweijri — both on a list of top wanted militants — and said the attack was within the framework of efforts by Al-Qaeda.
The terrorists were prevented from breaking through one of the side gates when guards opened fire on them. The vehicles exploded, resulting in the deaths of the two attackers and serious injuries to two security guards. The two guards later died of their wounds in hospital, said Interior Ministry officials.
According to the officials, the attackers have not yet been identified. “We will publish their names as soon as we have identified them,” said Interior Ministry spokesman Lt. Gen. Mansour Al-Turki. “Investigations are under way and evidence is being gathered from the scene. Additional security measures have also been put into place. The ministry is investigating Al-Qaeda’s claim of responsibility and the attackers’ link to the deviant group,” said the spokesman.
Deputy Governor of the Eastern Province Prince Jalawi ibn Abdul Aziz ibn Musaed attended the funeral prayer for the police officers. Prince Jalawi and Prince Muhammad ibn Naif, assistant interior minister for security affairs, conveyed the condolences of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah, Crown Prince Sultan and Interior Minister Prince Naif to the families of the dead officers. Prince Jalawi and Prince Muhammad praised the two officers for sacrificing their lives while defending their country. The princes also visited the injured at King Fahd Military Medical Complex.
The Kingdom has received international accolades for its efforts in combating terrorism and for successfully foiling Friday’s attack which pushed the price of crude oil up by $2 a barrel.
The American ambassador to the Kingdom, James C. Oberwetter, said in a statement that Saudi security services had successfully prevented a terrorist attack on the Saudi Aramco oil facility at Abqaiq.
“I visited that facility on two earlier occasions, and I know first hand the robust security systems that are in place there,” the ambassador said. “When they were needed, the systems worked, and the facility at Abqaiq was fully protected. The Saudi government and Saudi Aramco deserve considerable credit for what they have done in recent years to enhance the security of oil facilities throughout the Kingdom,” Oberwetter said.
GCC Secretary-General Abdul Rahman Al-Attiya condemned the terrorist act and praised Saudi police for foiling the attack.
The Muslim World League (MWL) also condemned the attack. Describing it as an attack on the Saudi people, MWL Secretary-General Abdullah Al-Turki said that the attack assured the public that the deviants have targeted the welfare of the citizens of Saudi Arabia. He praised the Kingdom’s security preparations and its quick response to the attack.
The prospect of an attack on Saudi oil facilities and installations has been a cause of deep concern to nations reliant on Saudi oil which are one-sixth of the world’s exports or 7.5 million barrels a day. The Eastern Province witnessed a three-day gunbattle when Saudi security forces stormed a major Al-Qaeda hide-out in Dammam on Sept. 6, killing five terrorists.
Four security men were also killed in the operation and 10 others wounded. The confrontation began after a shootout on Prince Muhammad ibn Fahd Street (just outside Panda supermarket) and ended with the storming of the terrorist hide-out in the Al-Hamra district.
