Saudi authorities on Monday launched a manhunt for three terrorists who fled after a weekend of appalling violence in which they killed 22 civilians in a hostage drama in the eastern Saudi city of al-Khobar.
In Dammam, near al-Khobar, Saudi security forces have surrounded a building, believing the three terrorists are inside, witnesses said.
Sources said the building is in the Telebeishi neighbourhood on the Prince Mohammed bin Fahd road and pointed out that police have cordoned off the area and are searching cars in Dammam.
Checkpoints have been set up and security has been intensified in the diplomatic quarter in Riyadh.
Senior European diplomats will hold a meeting on Tuesday in Riyadh to discuss the security situation in Saudi Arabia and assess measures to protect their citizens across the kingdom, a Saudi newspaper reported on Monday.
Western diplomats told the newspaper Arab News that the meeting will also review the security situation in the diplomatic quarter in Riyadh, where most of the Western countries have their diplomatic missions.
Security has already been stepped up in the diplomatic quarter and a visitor must pass through a labyrinth of checkpoints and concrete barriers guarded by soldiers in armoured personnel carriers.
Four Islamic militants were involved in the two days of violence, for which al-Qaeda claimed responsibility via an Islamic website.
One of the terrorists was wounded and captured by Saudi forces but the other three, believed to be in their early twenties, escaped using hostages as a cover to help them flee.
The Saudi Interior Ministry said on Sunday that the militants killed eight Indians, three Filipinos, three Saudis, two Sri Lankans, an American, a Briton, an Italian, a Swede, a South African and an Egyptian.
It added that 25 people were injured in the violence that started on Saturday when the group entered the building of the Petroleum Centre, which houses offices of Western oil companies, and started shooting indiscriminately.
According to the statement, up to 242 people of different nationalities were taken hostage by the terrorists but they were freed by security forces in two different phases.
The statement said the terrorists ”are criminals with records” but did not give further details on their identity.
A purported statement from al-Qaeda terrorist network took responsibility for the attack and vowed to rid the Arabian Peninsula of ”infidels” in a reference to non-Muslims.
Saudi Arabian authorities have been engaged in an ongoing offensive against domestic terrorism since last year’s attacks on residential compounds in Riyadh, in which more than 50 people were killed. — Sapa-DPA
Chaotic Saudi hostage rescue