Via the NYT: Gunmen Raid U.S. Consulate in Saudi Arabia

“I can confirm there has been an attack on the U.S. Consulate in Jidda,” Reuters quoted a United States Embassy spokeswoman, Carol Kalin, as saying. “The incident is ongoing with Saudi security forces trying to secure the building.” She said there was no word on American casualties.

From reading the story it appears that the fighting is over with, but it isn’t entirely clear.

Update: More here via the AP:

The statement by a Saudi Interior Ministry spokesman, carried by the official Saudi Press Agency, said a “stray bunch”–a reference to Islamic militants–threw explosives at the gate of the consulate, then entered. Saudi security forces engaged the attackers, “killing three aggressors, and two were captured after they were hit,” the statement said.

“The situation was brought under control,” the statement said. It gave no further details.

A senior Saudi official in Washington, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said the attackers took several hostages, mostly Sudanese and Indian, but the Americans were evacuated.

[...]

Security forces freed the hostages, the official said.

2 Responses to “US Consulate in Saudi Arabia Attacked”

1. InTheBullpen.com Says:
   December 6th, 2004 at 12:41 pm

   U.S. Consulate Attacked in Saudi Arabia
   Maybe this is cruel to say this, but what kind of weak attack couldn’t take a consulate? This is a deviation from prior attacks on foreign offices where in the past they used car bombs to blow up half the building. Now terrorists are trying to storm th…

2. The Jawa Report Says:
   December 6th, 2004 at 2:23 pm

   US Consulate Attacked in Saudi Arabia (UPDATED)
   The US Consulate in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, was attacked today. No reports of American casualties. New York Times: group of attackers stormed the American Consulate in the Saudi Arabian city of Jidda today, using explosives at the gates to breach…