Islamic militant killed in Saudi shoot-out

A suspected Islamic militant was killed and three others were arrested in clashes with police in the coastal Red Sea city of Jeddah, after Saudi security forces discovered a wanted militant hiding in a residential building, authorities said today.

The shoot-out was the latest in a two-year crackdown on Islamic militants by the Saudi monarchy, which has been struggling to put an end to suicide bombings and terror attacks on security and Western targets.

Security forces stormed the residential building in the Rabwa district in Jeddah early this morning, exchanging gunfire with the militants inside, the Saudi Interior Ministry said.

One militant was killed in the exchange, while three others – including one who was wounded – were taken into custody.

Another man and his wife and several security force members were also injured in the clashes, the Saudi press agency said.

Saudi Arabia has been waging its nationwide crackdown to root out terrorism ever since al Qaida-linked militants attacked three residential compounds in Riyadh in May 2003. Earlier this month, Saudi officials said they have detained 700 terror suspects thus far, including 18 of the 26 most-wanted men in the kingdom. Numerous suspects also have been killed in raids or clashes.

Last week, the US Embassy warned American citizens living in a residential compound in the Western coastal city of Jeddah to be on high alert for an attack, prompting some Americans living in the Sierra Village compound to move out.

Worries in Jeddah have been particularly high since the US consulate there was attacked December 6 and five foreign consulate employees were killed plus four attackers in the ensuing gunfight between militants and Saudi security forces.

A report released early this year by the Washington-based Centre for Strategic and International Studies said despite the successes and decreasing support for al-Qaida in Saudi Arabia, “the terror threat is unlikely to disappear for years to come”.