Being a big cheese in al Qaida is risky business anywhere but especially in Saudi Arabia. The third jihadi to head up the Saudi chapter of al Qaida in the last year or so has bitten the bullet, so to speak.
RIYADH (Reuters) - Security forces killed the leader of al Qaeda in Saudi Arabia in a gun battle in the holy city of Medina just hours before a visit by newly crowned King Abdullah. An Interior Ministry statement said security forces had also killed three other militants and arrested at least 10 in a series of raids in the capital Riyadh and in Medina.
Saleh al-Awfi, believed to have taken over leadership of al Qaeda in Saudi Arabia last year, was one of a few fugitives remaining on a list of most wanted militants in the world's top oil producer. His death would deal a further blow to militants loyal to Saudi-born al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden, who analysts say have been weakened by a two-year government campaign against the al Qaeda network in Saudi Arabia.
State television said Awfi and another militant had been hiding in a residential area near the venerated Mosque of the Prophet, site of the tomb of Mohammad which King Abdullah visited for prayers. Earlier, security forces killed two wanted gunmen and captured another during a raid on a house in a northern district of Riyadh.
Saudi analyst Fares Houzam said militants in the kingdom had been dealt a big blow. "Awfi was al Qaeda's main leader in the west of the country," he told Reuters. "The speed at which the militants have been captured and killed of late shows how poorly trained they are."
As crown prince, King Abdullah had spearheaded the battle against al Qaeda which since May 2003 has staged suicide bombings and attacks against foreigners with the aim of toppling the pro-U.S. monarchy and expelling Westerners from the birthplace of Islam. Analysts said the accession of Abdullah, a pious figure popular with his conservative Muslim subjects, could increase public support for the battle against al Qaeda which depends on the sympathy of ordinary Saudis as much as weapons.
Militants have so far killed 91 foreign nationals and Saudi civilians. Security forces have in turn killed 112 militants and analysts say they have eroded al Qaeda's network in the kingdom. Saudi authorities believe Awfi took over the leadership of al Qaeda in the kingdom after security forces killed Abdulaziz al-Muqrin in June last year.
Kudos to the Saudi security forces. Let's hope they soon run out of targets.
