Updated
Bin Laden’s group strikes his homeland.
ABQAIQ, Saudi Arabia (AP) Suicide bombers carried out a bold attack on the world’s largest oil processing facility Friday but were stopped from breaking in by guards who fired on their cars, exploding both vehicles and killing the attackers.
Al-Qaida purportedly claimed responsibility for the attack, the first on an oil facility in Saudi Arabia. The assault raised speculation that the militants were adopting the tactics of insurgents across the border in
Iraq, where the oil industry has been repeatedly targeted……In December 2004, al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden, a Saudi exile, for the first time called on militants to attack oil targets in the Gulf to stop the flow of oil to the West.
But no major attacks followed in the region. Some experts have believed that because al-Qaida’s long-term goal is to run Saudi Arabia, it would do nothing to seriously jeopardize the oil industry on which the kingdom’s wealth is based.
Friday’s attack is new “in the sense that this is the boldest attempt to strike at the heart of a Saudi oil-production complex,” Eurasia Group oil analyst Antoine Halff said.
Update: Al Qaeda is threatening more attacks in Saudi Arabia:
MANAMA, Bahrain – Al-Qaida suicide bombers will attack more Saudi oil facilities, the terror group purportedly threatened Saturday in an Internet statement that claimed responsibility for the foiled attack on the Abiqaiq plant in eastern Saudi Arabia…
…A statement appeared on a militant Web site saying that Friday’s attack was “part of a series of operations that al-Qaida is carrying out against the crusaders and the Jews to stop their plundering of Muslim wealth.” It was signed “al-Qaida in the Arab Peninsula” — the name of the Saudi branch of the terror network.
The statement did not acknowledge that the attack was foiled. In fact, it claimed that the two “heroic holy warriors” managed to enter Abiqaiq.
“There are more like them who are racing toward martyrdom and eager to fight the enemies of god, the Jews, the crusaders and their stooges, the renegade rulers” of Arab countries, the posting said.
“You will see things that will make you happy, god willing,” concluded the statement.
Of course al Qaeda didn’t mention the failure of the attack – it’s an embarrassment.
These folks are not the most intellectually sophisticated members of the human race. They will destroy Muslim wealth on their own by causing the price of oil to skyrocket. Al Qaeda obviously doesn’t understand basic economics.
Kim Priestap blogs at Kim Priestap: A Conservative Blog in Flyover Country
“the boldest attempt to strike at the heart of a Saudi oil-production complex”
Also the most futile. They didn’t even get past the first security fence (there are three).
Some experts have believed that because al-Qaida’s long-term goal is to run Saudi Arabia,
“Some experts?” Isn’t it a pretty well-known fact that bin Laden hates the royals and wants it to be HIS kind of nation? See also: Iraq (the attack on the Shiite mosque, wanting to spark civil war). See also: the rest of the whole WORLD.
I STG, the AP has the biggest bunch of Cluetard journohacks.
Boldest? No. Most desperate? Maybe.
I can’t believe Al Queda would make such a weak attempt, and then claim credit for it. Talk about destroying your “creds”!
This suggests that Al Qaida has written off ever achieving their goal to control Saudi Arabia, and are flailing out of spite. Now is the time to increase the pressure on them.
Now is the time to increase the pressure on them.
Damn right. This isn’t some kind of friendly competition where the other guy says “Uncle” and you let him up. These guys want to kill us and our families and drag the survivors back into the Dark Ages.
I don’t know why the MSM keeps calling this attack “bold” or “daring” or whatever. In fact, it was a miserable failure. It accomplished nothing, and only thing that Al-Qaeda got was a couple of their splodeydopes killed. Losers. They didn’t even make it past the first layer of security.
I agree that some of the analysis has made this attempted attack seem more daring and smart than it really was.
However, while none of the 3 fences were breached, there was a layer of security that was breached:
(from CNN website article):
“Saudi security consultant Nawaf Obaid said the cars breached the outer security perimeter after opening fire on security guards, killing three and wounding 10, before being stopped at a second security perimeter, where they set off the explosives.”
OM,
Considering that “bold” and “daring” are often used to describe salad dressing and pino grigot these days, I think it is safe to say that the chattering class’ definitions of these words are pretty watered down. 😉