Terrorist Attack Foiled in Saudi Arabia

Terrorist Attack Foiled in Saudi Arabia
Greg LaMotte
VOA Cairo
26 Nov 2003, 11:34 UTC

Saudi officials said Tuesday they foiled a planned terrorist attack and killed two suspected militants. And, in Yemen security forces arrested a top al-Qaida fugitive. Saudi officials say militants were planning to car bomb an unspecified target in the capital, Riyadh.

The Saudi Interior Ministry says security forces seized a vehicle that was ready to be detonated and killed two suspected militants.

The Ministry says the planned attack was set to coincide with the beginning of the Eid al-Fitr holiday, marking the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

Earlier this month, a car bomb explosion killed 17 people in the Saudi capital following an attack at a residential compound.

Meanwhile, in neighboring Yemen authorities say they have arrested a top local leader of Osama bin Laden's terrorist network al-Qaida.

Yemeni security forces said Mohammad Hamdi al-Ahdal surrendered to police Tuesday after they surrounded his hideout. A U.S. counter-terrorism official says he was one of the top 20 al-Qaida leaders being sought.