Al Qaida has succeeded in fighting its way into the U.S. consulate in Saudi Arabia and holding the facility for several hours. Saudi security sources said five Al Qaida operatives, employing a car bomb and grenades, blasted their way into the U.S. consulate in Jedda on Monday and held the facility for about two hours. The sources said Al Qaida insurgents killed at least four Saudi National Guard officers and injured a U.S. staffer before Saudi commandos stormed the consulate and killed most of the attackers. A U.S. official later denied that any Americans were injured.
"I can confirm there has been an attack on the U.S. consulate in Jedda," U.S. embassy spokeswoman Carole Kalin said. At one point, Al Qaida was believed to have held up to 18 hostages inside the U.S. consulate. Within an hour of the attack, about 200 Saudi troops, backed by attack helicopters, surrounded the building and then stormed the consulate. |