One policeman was killed and three others were wounded in clashes with militants today in a town north-east of Riyadh, Dubai-based Al-Arabiya TV reported.

THE ongoing dangers for Irish expatriates in Saudi Arabia were further emphasised yesterday when it emerged that another Irishman was fortunate to avoid being shot dead earlier this year.

THE family of an Irish journalist shot dead in a drive-by shooting in Saudi Arabia on Sunday were waiting last night to find out when the body will come home as security forces launched an investigation into the killing.

FRIENDS of an Irish journalist shot dead in Saudi Arabia paid tribute last night to a man who was bigger than life and a joy to be around.

A STATEMENT purportedly from al-Qaida militants in Saudi Arabia warned yesterday of new attacks on Western airlines, as a Saudi diplomat said the militant group was behind an attack that killed an Irish cameraman with the BBC.

OIL prices dropped further below $40 yesterday as increased supplies in the United States and OPEC’s pledge to bump up output eased immediate concerns of a supply crunch in world markets.

Saudi authorities gave safe passage to three al-Qaida gunmen after the they killed 10 of the hostages on the advice of the US, a senior security official said.

Encouraging signals from OPEC that it would raise production had the immediate and desired effect of lowering record-high oil prices, but analysts were wondering whether the measure would prevent a worldwide crisis.

Saudi security forces today killed two key militants who had links to the weekend shooting attack and hostage-taking crisis that killed 22 people, most of them foreign oil workers.

Security fears left foreign businesses reconsidering whether to stay in Saudi Arabia, while jittery world oil markets opened today with strong price increases in the first significant trading since a terror attack targeting Western oil workers left 22 people dead in the Saudi oil hub.

Saudi authorities are hunting for three suspected al-Qaida terrorists who used hostages as human shields to escape after a weekend assault on a residential complex that killed 22 people, mostly foreign oil workers.

The leader of the group responsible for the terrorist outrage in Saudi Arabia in which 22 civilians died was al-Qaida-trained, it has emerged.

Saudi authorities searched an hotel in a residential compound today for clues left behind by suspected al-Qaida militants – three of whom were on the run - after a shooting rampage and hostage standoff that killed 22 people, most of them foreigners.

Fears about rising oil prices resurfaced today following the hostage-taking crisis in Saudi Arabia.

An hotel was being searched today for clues to the killers of 22 people who died in a shooting rampage and hostage stand-off in eastern Saudi Arabia.

Britain’s ambassador to Saudi Arabia warned today that another terrorist attack in the kingdom was “probable”.

Saudi Arabia sought to reassure foreign oil executives – and prevent a dramatic rise in crude prices – after the lethal attack on two compounds housing offices and homes of expatriates working in the country’s most important industry.

The weekend attacks in Saudi Arabia further highlight the risks to oil supply, according to Dermot O'Leary of Goodbody Stockbrokers.

SAUDI commandos in helicopters stormed an expatriate resort yesterday to free hostages seized by suspected al-Qaida gunmen in an assault that killed 22 people mostly foreigners, including one American.

Saudi troops freed American, European and other foreign hostages today after they stormed a residential compound where gunmen were holed up in a deadly stand off.

Tens of European, US and other hostages were released today and a gunmen believed to be the lead Islamic militant holding them was arrested, a Saudi security official said, adding that two other gunmen were “in the process of being arrested”.

Saudi security forces have stormed an expat housing complex where suspected Islamic militants are holed up with a reported 50 hostages after attacking oil company offices.

Saudi security forces stormed a prestige expatriate housing complex where gunmen holed up and took hostages after a shooting dead at least six people at oil company offices in the eastern city of Khobar.

Five people are feared dead after gunmen opened fire today on housing offices of oil companies then taking hostages at a residential compound to use as human shields.

Above all other objectives, the strike against Afghanistan is designed to hit back at one man - Osama bin Laden.

A remote control bomb went off yesterday outside a shop in the eastern Saudi city of Khobar, police said. Saudi television and the Khobar hospital said two people were killed and five injured.