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Assault on a consulate
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| 08 December 2004 |
President George W Bush suffered a setback in his war on terrorism when insurgents again managed to strike directly at US interests in Saudi Arabia, bombing and invading the US consulate in Jeddah on 6 December. At least seven people died in the assault and a number of people were taken hostage.
The attack on the heavily defended building, protected by concrete blocks, machine guns and even an armoured car and described as virtually impregnable by one expatriate, could suggest that US citizens are safe nowhere in the kingdom. It repeats the tactic of attacking the expatriate community and its institutions in the country. Islamists striking at US interests are seeking both to eject 'the infidel' from the holy soil of the Arabian Peninsula and undermine the economy, and therefore the government, by weakening the vital foreign presence in Saudi business. A total of 170 people have died since the current wave of suicide-type attacks - usually ascribed to Al-Qaeda - began in 2003 with the co-ordinated suicide bombings of three foreign compounds in Riyadh. That attack killed 35 people.
Washington is concerned about the fate of its old ally in the Arab world, not least because of its central role in the world oil market. It is not only a huge producer, but is also useful in increasing production on demand, giving it a heavy influence on oil prices. Insecurity in Saudi Arabia, the location of Mecca, threatens stability in other Muslim nations.
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