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[johnslat]

It's almost funny that for us to find out what's really going on here, this e-mail message, which I received this morning, had to go from here to the USA and then back again. Some interesting stuff here, I think. The sender ( to me ), D i c k Coolidge, is an old friend who worked here for many years ( he left last September ) and his wife is a USA government employee who used to work at the ( USA ) military base outside Riyadh:
Dear John,
Following is an email sent to Susan by one of her friends in Saudi.
Keep safe.
D i c k
NOTES TO SECURITY MEETING WITH U.S. AMBASSADOR
Peter McCracken - May 14, 2003
The meeting was held primarily to discuss the current terrorism situation and the future as the U.S. State Department views it within Saudi Arabia; with specificity to Riyadh and the Eastern Province. The following bullet points are summaries or various discussions held with Ambassador Robert Jordan:
1. There will be extreme focus by the United States on bringing all involved to justice. This, the capturing of other terrorists, will be highly dependent upon the degree of cooperation between the
two governments.
2. There is an ordered (mandatory) departure for all non-essential consul personnel and all dependents of consul personnel.
3. The U.S. government is bringing in chartered aircraft to evacuate those that are required to leave. They purposefully leave each aircraft 50% empty so that private U.S. citizens that are having difficulty getting seats on other carriers can receive transportation on those flights. Any private U.S. citizens wishing to book a seat must contact the Consul Section at the U.S. Embassy. Normal commercial flight prices will prevail. Those who cannot pay at this time will be required to execute a promissory note.
4. The government of Saudi Arabia is responsible for security anywhere and everywhere within the Kingdom. No foreign government can mandate security levels or procedures at any location within the Kingdom.
5. If your compound is not well protected with governmental or private, armed security, the Eid Compound manager, in attendance at the meeting, says he has a security firm that has placed guards with automatic weapons in front of the Eid compound. He offered that any compound
owner or manager that wants the contact name and number need only contact the Eid Compound manager. He claims it is a private security firm that has the necessary permissions from the Saudi government for their security personnel to be heavily armed with automatic weapons.
6. There were families that fled Al-Hamra soon after the bombings to stay overnight at another location. Upon return to their homes, they found that their homes had been 100% looted. The looters even took the food from their refrigerators.
7. At Al-Hamra and Vinell Compounds the attacks were almost identical. There were only two vehicles involved in each. The first vehicle was loaded with shooters, with the second being the car bomb. The first vehicle opened fire as they approached the front gates of each compound and smashed through the gate at Vinell, but followed a resident in at Al-Hamra. The car bombers then went to their planned locations and exploded their vehicles. The blast killed many of the terrorists. It is possible that up to six terrorists escaped. They, the terrorists, came to die as martyrs and take as many Americans / Westerners with them as possible.
8. The rumors that the terrorists were shooting people as they ran from their houses are untrue. There was ammunition in each shooters car that started cooking-off or exploding as the shooters cars burned. Other than the guards at the gates, there was nobody shot.
9. At Jedawal there was only one vehicle, i.e. the shooters were inside the vehicle carrying the bomb. They rammed the anti-ram back gate and got stuck in the gate itself. They then detonated the car bomb. That is the reason little damage was done within the compound itself. The damage was confined to the back gate area.
10. The Al-Qaeda terrorist cell that conducted this atrocity is not the only terrorists cell. More attacks are expected; timing or targets are unknown at this time. Additional attacks can come at any time. Additional incidents can occur now or any time in the future.
11. Discussion on security measures that can be taken at the compounds ended with the conclusion of what a suicide terrorists are. Their mission is to die while killing as many as they can. They cannot be stopped except with greater force than what they have. Lights, guards,
barriers or weapons do not sway them, the terrorists. If they want to attack, they will attack. If they die before they complete their mission they are still martyrs. No amount of logic or prevention can stop someone who wants to die as a martyr.
12. No company was bombed. That was a rumor. The three compounds with one bomb each was the total number of sites hit. Reports of other explosions were most likely due to hand grenades thrown by the terrorists at the guardhouses.
13. The American and British schools are closed for
the remainder of the school year. Other schools are likely coming to the same conclusion.
14. The 19 terrorists identified with photos in the newspapers were not accurate. Evidentially the Saudi government decided to use the opportunity to publicize other criminals they are searching for. They do not know who the terrorists were in the house. The terrorists spotted the stakeout and started to run. There were 4-5 terrorists at the location at that time. The Saudi government believes there may have been as many as 19 terrorists using the house.
15. The ambassador closed by stating that Saudi Arabia should be considered a war-zone. Al-Qaeda has declared war within the Kingdom. Ambassador Jordan also stated that the current situation in Saudi Arabia, for the foreseeable future, is the new normal within the Kingdom.