U.S. Consulate, Jeddah Attacked
Special Report #2

Information as of: 12:00pm ET, Tuesday, December 7, 2004.

Summary

• Five terrorists attacked the US Consulate in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia on December 6, 2004

• Initial reports of 12 fatalities have been downgraded to three attackers and five consulate employees killed in the three hour gun battle at the compound.

• An Al Qaeda group claimed responsibility for the attack in a Web site post.
  

U.S. State Department Report

Jeddah Attack Will Not Deter Fight Against Terror, Powell Says
(Eight killed in terrorist attack at U.S. Consulate in Jeddah) (490)

Washington -- Secretary of State Colin Powell says the December 6 attack
against U.S. government interests in Saudi Arabia "will not deter us in our
fight against terrorism."

Powell, asked by a reporter for his reaction to the attack against the U.S.
Consulate in Jeddah during a visit to Sofia, Bulgaria, responded by saying:
"We deplore this kind of terrorist activity, and my condolences go to the
families of those who lost their lives."

Eight persons were killed in a December 6 terrorist assault on the U.S.
consulate in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, according to State Department deputy
spokesman Adam Ereli.

The dead included three of the five gunmen who breached the compound's
security gate and attempted to enter the office building of the U.S. Consul
General. Saudi security forces apprehended the other two attackers.

President Bush also reacted to news of the attack December 6, saying it is
a reminder that "terrorists are on the move." During a joint appearance in
Washington with Iraqi President Ghazi al-Yawer, Bush said these terrorists
want the U.S. presence in Saudi Arabia and Iraq to end. "They want us to
grow timid and weary," he said, through random killing of innocents. "And
that's why," he said, "these elections in Iraq are very important."

Ereli said four local consulate employees and a guard were also killed, and
another four local consulate employees were injured. All of them were
assigned to transportation, housekeeping and maintenance services, he said.
No Americans were seriously injured and, contrary to earlier reports, no
hostages were taken, he added.

President Bush and Ereli both expressed American gratitude for the quick
action by Saudi authorities, and Ereli said that the attack is a reminder
that "we all have common cause in working against terror."

Although authorities are still gathering details, Ereli said the men
attempted to drive a vehicle onto the compound grounds and, when stopped,
abandoned the vehicle and fought their way in using guns and grenades.
They never entered the Consulate General building, he said, but did inflict
significant damage to Marine Guard residential quarters.

The Marines and regional security guards took defensive measures to protect
those in the compound and moved personnel to a reinforced, safe area,
according to Ereli, who also noted that Consul General Gina
Abercrombie-Winstanley was "in the front lines" of the quick response.

Press reports indicate some Saudi security forces were also wounded in the
gun battle. Ereli said more detailed accounts would be forthcoming as the
United States works with Saudi Arabia to investigate the incident and
determine security vulnerabilities.

The Jeddah and Dhahran consulates and the U.S. Embassy in Riyadh will be
closed to the public December 7, although Ereli said emergency aid would
still be offered to Americans.

(Distributed by the Bureau of International Information Programs, U.S.
Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov )

Additional Reporting

Special Report #1 U.S. Consulate, Jeddah Attacked

Saudi Attackers Monitored U.S. Consulate Before Attack

"..Saudi gunmen who stormed the United States consulate in Jeddah had "scoped out" the building ahead of their carefully planned attack, the U.S. envoy to Saudi Arabia said Tuesday.  Ambassador James Oberwetter also described a firefight at the gate before the militants slipped in on foot behind a diplomatic car entering the heavily fortified complex Monday.."  Complete report..

Al-Qaeda claims Jeddah attack

"..The Saudi branch of Al-Qaeda used an Islamist website to claim Monday's attack on the US consulate in the Saudi port of Jeddah, stating that some assailants had managed to flee after the operation.  "Your brothers of the squadron of the martyr Abu Annas al-Shami stormed one of the bastions of the American crusaders in the Arabian peninsula, in Jeddah," the statement said.."  Complete report.. 

US remains at risk even under top guard

"..The attack fell exactly a year after the Interior Ministry took the exceptional step of listing the 26 most-wanted terrorists linked to Al Qaeda in Saudi Arabia.  In the ensuing year, about 17 of them have been captured or killed in numerous skirmishes throughout the desert kingdom.."  Complete report..

Prince Turki al-Faisal comments on terrorist attacks

"..The latest information I have is that eight people were killed, five of them employees of the consulate and three of them were the terrorists. My information is that there were two wounded officers, one slightly more difficult to wound than the other. This is as far as casualties are concerned. I know there is a lot of confusion now as to whether there was penetration of the consulate or not. You have to remember, Wolf [Blitzer, CNN], that the consulate in Jeddah is a compound with not only a wall around the compound but another security wall outside the wall surrounding the compound. What these people did is that they blew themselves into the first barrier wall outside the compound. As they tried to enter the compound itself, that's where they were engaged by Saudi security forces, and three of them were killed. Unfortunately, five of the employees of the consulate were killed as well.."  Complete report..

Saudi names slain gunmen in Al-Qaeda strike on US mission

"..The ministry identified three of the slain gunmen as Fayez bin Awwad al-Jeheni, Eid bin Dakhilallah al-Jeheni and Hassan bin Hamed al-Hazmi, none of whom was on a most-wanted list of suspected Al-Qaeda sympathizers issued by authorities a year ago.  "The identity of the fourth, who is wounded, must be not be divulged for the sake of the (public) interest, and procedures are under way to establish the identity of the fifth person, who died in the incident," it said in a statement said, adding that all four identified were Saudis. The interior ministry said a Yemeni, a Sudanese, a Palestinian, a Pakistani and a Sri Lankan were killed, although the government in the Philippines said one of its nationals was killed and another wounded.."  Complete report..

Saudi Arabia vows to eradicate terrorism

"..Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal assured the US ambassador in Riyadh that the kingdom is determined to uproot terrorism and eradicate terrorists.. ..al-Faisal contacted ambassador James Oberwetter "to express sympathy with the employees of the US Consulate in Jeddah following the terrorist attack.."  Complete report..

President Bush comments on attack

"..on the incident in Saudi Arabia, I want to thank the Saudi government for responding as quickly as they did. We send our heartfelt condolences to the Saudi National Guard that died in the defense of our consulate. I want to thank the Marines for doing their job so splendidly. And we will find out more about who caused the attacks. As I understand it, several of the attackers died, but several were captured by the Saudi government, and I'm confident they will share the information with us. The attacks in Saudi Arabia remind us that the terrorists are still on the move. They're interested in affecting the will of free countries. They want us to leave Saudi Arabia. They want us to leave Iraq. They want us to grow timid and weary in the face of their willingness to kill randomly and kill innocent people. And that's why these elections in Iraq are very important.."  Complete report..

Related Reporting:

• Press Denounces Jeddah Attack (BBC)

• Saudis Probe Daring Al Qaeda Attack on US Mission (Reuters)

• Al-Qaeda claims Jeddah attack as fears among foreigners grow (AFP)

• Al-Qaeda group claims to have carried out Jeddah attack (CBC)

• Saudis, expats stunned at US consulate assault (Reuters)

Resources:

• Terrorism Timeline - Saudi Arabia and the Global War on Terrorism - SUSRIS Web Site