Saudi security forces clashed with gunmen north of the capital Riyadh on Thursday, Al Arabiya television reported. The Saudi-owned channel was quoting its correspondent, who said police had cordoned off a district in north Riyadh where they were battling the gunmen.Earlier this month, Washington closed its diplomatic missions in Saudi Arabia for two days due to an imminent threat against U.S. government buildings in the kingdom. Britain also warned that militants were in the final stages of planning attacks in the kingdom, and Australia said it had received "credible reports" Islamic extremists were planning strikes in the near future.
Followup: Fox News sez the Soddies claim al-Oufi is dead again in the shootout. More as available...
From al-Jizz:
At least two suspected rebels have been killed in a gunfight with Saudi security forces north of the capital Riyadh. Police on Thursday surrounded a house in a district north of Riyadh and exchanged fire with several wanted armed men inside, killing two, a security source said. The gunfight lasted four hours starting 6:00 am (0300 GMT). Saudi Interior Ministry spokesman General Mansur al-Turki confirmed a security operation was taking place in the area. "The police are trying to apprehend one or more individuals who are putting up some resistance," he said, but did not give further details. Dubai-based Al-Arabiya satellite television had initially said four suspects were killed in the exchange of fire. It later reported the death toll was two, saying another one rebel had been wounded while another was captured. An interior ministry spokesman said "no security force members were wounded". Clashes also erupted between police and suspects in the southwestern holy city of Medina, with security forces detaining an unspecified number of people, the satellite channel said without identifying those held.
al-Qaida Leader in Saudi Arabia Killed Al-Qaida's leader in Saudi Arabia was killed Thursday during clashes with police in the western city of Medina, the Interior Ministry said. Saleh Mohammed al-Oufi was among six al-Qaida-linked militants reported killed during police raids on numerous locations in that holy city and the capital, Riyadh, Interior Ministry spokesman Mansour al-Turki told The Associated Press.
Additional: In a statement, a senior official at the Interior Ministry said security forces launched a number of early morning attacks in Riyadh and Medina as King Abdullah prepared to make the first official visit of his reign. Abdullah, who is expected to visit Medina later Thursday, assumed the throne of the House of Saud when his father, King Fahd, died earlier this month. The raids targeted suspected al Qaeda hideouts, the statement said, and resulted in a number of arrests as suspects barricaded themselves inside and opened fire.
Six raids resulted in nine arrests, the statement said, and the seventh ended in a gunbattle that left Oufi and another suspect dead. Another suspect was wounded and arrested. A civilian resident and one of the security forces were severely wounded during the shooting, the statement said.
The statement also said they had found scattered body parts after a shootout during a raid in a Riyadh residential area, apparently the result of a bomb. The statement said the bomb may have killed "one or more, which we are still investigating to identify them." A security force member was slightly injured during that gun battle, the statement said, and the forces found "several guns, explosives, documents and money" inside the home when it was over.