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Al-Qaeda claims oil attack
25/02/2006 08:29 - (SA)
Abqaiq - Al-Qaeda claimed
responsibility for Friday's attack on a Saudi oil facility at
Abqaiq, when security forces fired at suicide bombers trying to
storm the world's biggest oil processing plant.
Saudi oil minister Ali al-Naimi said oil and gas output was
unaffected by the "terrorist attempt" - the first direct strike
on a Saudi oil target since al-Qaeda militants launched attacks
aimed at toppling Saudi Arabia's pro-Western monarchy in 2003.
In a statement posted on a website often used by militants,
Saudi-born Osama bin Laden's group said two of its members
carried out the operation.
"With grace from God alone, hero mujahideen from the
squadron of Sheikh Osama bin Laden succeeded today (Friday)...in
penetrating a plant for refining oil and gas in the town of
Abqaiq in the eastern part of the peninsula, and then allowed
two car bombs in driven by two martyrdom seekers," it said.
It said the raid was within the framework of efforts by al- Qaeda to prevent the theft of Muslims' wealth by "crusaders and
Jews" and to force "infidels" out of the peninsula.
Gulf oil targets
Oil prices jumped $2 a barrel on news of the attack in the
world's largest oil exporter, which came a year after bin Laden
urged his supporters to hit Gulf oil targets.
In Abqaiq, a guard manning an outer gate of the facility
said security forces were combing the plant in search of any
militants hiding there. "The security situation is still
unstable," said the guard, ushering people away.
Saudi security adviser Nawaf Obaid said security forces
fired on three cars at the outer gates of the Abqaiq facility,
1.5 km from the main entrance.
One car was carrying gunmen and two others, packed with
explosives, rammed the gates, he said. All the attackers were
killed. Security sources in Riyadh said four militants and two
security officers died and two other officers were wounded.
Mohammad al-Merri, a relative of one of the officers killed,
said the militants were able to penetrate the first checkpoint
leading to the facility. "They opened fire and killed two
officers after the guards at the second checkpoint became
suspicious of them," he told Reuters in Abqaiq.
Security sources said the blast after the shootout slightly
injured eight workers.
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