One persons killed, 8 injured in clashes in Riyadh; Two wanted persons blew up themselves in Mecca
Saudi Arabia, Local, 11/8/2003

Two armed men blew up themselves in Mecca yesterday when the Saudi Arabian security forces were chasing them, hours after the killing of one armed Islamists and wounding 8 police members during clashes in Riyadh in which bombs were used and a military chopper took part. This indicated that the volume of security challenges facing the Saudi authorities is much more than expected.

This is, however, not the first time in which Mecca faces armed confrontations during the past weeks. The two suicide explosions took place yesterday, just three days after the clash took place in Mecca in which two Islamists were killed and other 6 were detained in what was described by the security authorities as a conspiracy targeted by the "Omra worshippers" in Mecca. In mid June, Mecca was the stage of a clash in which five gunmen and two policemen were killed.

A security official in Mecca said that "two of the terrorists who are chased by the authorities detonated themselves to the east of Mecca in al- Sharaye area," while they were chased by the security forces.

An official explained that the two gunmen detonated themselves when the security forces besieged them for detention, expecting to be members of the cell discovered in Mecca several days ago.

Security sources said that the security men launched on Wednesday a vast inspection campaign in al-Sharaye area in search of wanted persons. The sources added that choppers were seen flying over the area and that the security forces used light projectors in this rangeland mountainous area.

The Saudi authorities referred that the detainees in the confrontation which took place three days before in Mecca are Saudi citizens and one Nigerian. A statement by the ministry of interior said that the gunmen were intending to use large amounts of explosives and shelling in Mecca to cause great damage. The statement added that the police found during the inspection of a shelter for the extremists a large amounts of rifles, mortars and ammunition and all types of explosives.

In the capital Riyadh, the ministry of interior announced that "one terrorist" was killed and 8 police men were injured during a new explosion inflicted at dawn by gunmen Islamists."

An official source at the ministry of interior explained that a fire exchange took place during a breaking in operation by the security forces to "suspected site for terrorists" in al-Sweidi headquarters in Riyadh, noting that the "terrorist elements left the site (by) opening fire using machine guns and bombs."

Previous Stories:
  Saudi judicial council chairman calls for suppressing demonstrators   (11/6/2003)
  Riyadh accuses al-Qaida of being behind Mecca clashes   (11/5/2003)
  Islamists killed in clash with Saudi police   (11/4/2003)
  Saudi Arabia's TV to broadcast Shoura council deliberations   (11/3/2003)

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