Foreigners evacuated from Yanbu', Saudi Arabia accuses Zionism
Saudi Arabia, Local, 5/3/2004

The Giant Swedish- Swiss ABB company which is specialized in oil and engineering services decided to withdraw all its foreign employees from the Saudi Yanbu' port on the Red Sea after the killing of five of its western employees in an armed attack on Saturday and also resulted in killing one Saudi security man and the four attackers.

The spokesman for the company from Zurich said that the company will ensure during the two next days the departure of its employees and their families totaling 100 persons. He stressed that this decision will not affect the company's activities in other place of Saudi Arabia.

However, five American engineers, two British and one Australian were killed in the attack launched by gunmen at a complex for petrochemicals owned by the Saudi Sabec and the American Axon -Mobile in Yanbu'.

In a statement, the Saudi ministry of the interior said that the attack also resulted in wounding other three foreigners. One Pakistani, one American and one Canadian as well as 18 security men.

This, however, is considered the first attack of its kind which targets the city of Yanbu' one of the most important oil industry centers in Saudi Arabia. It is also considered a qualitative change in the attacks taking place in Saudi Arabia because it is the first incident which targets western oil companies there.

The Saudi crown prince Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz predicted that " Zionism is behind the acts of violence taking place in his country."

This came in a speech he had delivered as he was receiving several senior officials and royal officers guards and university teachers. The Saudi crown prince said that "behind some 95% of what had happened are Zionist hands." He stressed that his country will strike in an iron fist every one who tries to threaten its security. He expressed confidence that his country will achieve victory by the ultimate end. He also warned against cooperation of what he had called terrorists or hiding them.

He called on his citizens not to be silent towards events taking place in Saudi Arabia of acts of violence describing its executors as " tails of the devil and colonialism."

Previous Stories:
  Saudi Arabia says it had foiled large attacks   (4/30/2004)
  Saudi security chase four wanted persons   (4/28/2004)
  Two wanted Saudis killed in confrontation in Jeddah   (4/24/2004)
  King of Bahrain arrives in Riyadh   (4/19/2004)
  Washington withdraws some of its diplomats from Riyadh; Kuwait tightens security measures because of conditions in Iraq , Saudi Arabia   (4/17/2004)
  Washington urges its citizens to leave Saudi Arabia   (4/16/2004)

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