HAIL, 25 July 2006 — Police have launched a massive manhunt to arrest a criminal who took hostage a senior education official in Hail yesterday afternoon.
Sources say the armed man forced himself into the car of Dr. Othman Al-Amer, the director of education in the region, at around 2 p.m. and made him drive with the machine gun held to his head. While driving Al-Amer noticed a patrol car and parked his car directly behind the police vehicle.
When police came out to investigate they saw the kidnapper holding Al-Amer hostage. While police were negotiating with the hostage-taker, Al-Amer made a dash from the car but the man shot him in the thigh.
A scuffle ensued and the officers managed to disarm the assailant who then escaped.
In an effort to catch the man, police sealed all exits from the area. Al-Amer was taken to King Khaled Hospital where surgeons removed the bullet from his thigh. His condition is said to be stable and not life threatening.
Police say they know the identity of the armed man and are investigating the relationship between Al-Amer and his assailant to ascertain whether the hostage-taking was random crime or due to personal rivalry between the two.
