UK Sky: US CONSULATE UNDER ATTACK (Jeddah, Saudi Arabia)

[DeepModem Mom]

Gunfire has been heard and smoke can be seen rising form the US consulate in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

Saudi officials say there is an "emergency case".


http://www.sky.com/skynews/article/0,,15410-1162998,00.html


DUers, please add news about this from other sources, as you get it --

[DeepModem Mom]

1. Sky TV now reporting U.S. official says consulate "under attack"...

also reporting surrounded by Saudi National Guard.

[LynnTheDem]

2. Gee...good thing bush's illegal Hitleresque war of aggression has made us

safer.

[ogradda]

3. shit

now what?!

[DeepModem Mom]

4. Sky TV now reporting "explosion" as well as gunfire heard

n/t

[maddezmom]

5. CNNInternational same report

US Embassy confirtms an attack. Witnesses say heavy exchange of gunfire near the embassy...possible explosion, lots of smoke coming out of embassy.

[bobthedrummer]

6. The new HOMELAND SECURITY guy's old friends the royal Saudis

are among our enemies-yet "allies" with BFEE.

Interesting.

[Newsjock]

7. BBC World live now

... says they've got an AP report saying car bomb went off first.

[Forkboy]

8. Ahhhh...it's good to be loved

[ticapnews]

15. On the bright side...

At least the gays can't marry. Nothing else matters, right? :eyes:

[pokercat999]

50. You just hit the nail on the head F-ing GAYS they're

marrying by the millions, it's all their fault! I say hang'em on the fences.

How long can this go on?

[Solar]

9. CNN has also said maybe it was a carbomb n/t

n/t

[maddezmom]

10. Reuters link: Shooting, Fire at U.S. Mission in Jeddah -Witnesses

~snip~
Around 200 police and national guards sealed off the area around the U.S. mission in the Red Sea city. Alarms could be heard sounding from the building.


Shooting broke out for a second time shortly afterwards. It was not immediately known if it was an attack by Muslim militants seeking to drive Westerners out of the kingdom.


"We have an emergency case," an official inside the building told Reuters. He gave no details.


Saudi Arabia has been battling a wave of al Qaeda violence since May last year which has targeted foreigners and security forces

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=574&ncid=721&e=1&u=/nm/20041206/wl_nm/saudi_usa_consulate_dc

[DS1]

49. How long have we called our embassies 'missions'?

Big :wtf:

[DeepModem Mom]

51. I think most sources are saying "consulate"; embassy was not hit --

consulate in Jeddah was. I wouldn't be surpised, however, given Bush's mindset, if we didn't start soon calling our diplomatic outposts "missions"!

[chenGOD]

56. They've been called 'missions' for a long time...

And it's not just Americans that have been doing it. In this case it refers to diplomatic missions. Just do a google search for 'embassies and missions' and you'll find lists of many countries missions and where they are around the world and so on...

I'm not sure if this is an extension of the use of 'mission' from when the first colonists set up religious missions or if it's a different usage of the word.

[0007]

58. "Mission" sounds like Christians on a Crusade

A new buzz word to pump up the fundamentalist who wanna nuke Mecca!

[Newsjock]

11. More from BBC World

According to BBC World, al-Arabiya says four men in a car tried to storm the consulate but were shot before succeeding, and the car then exploded.

Edit: Now on BBC World, editor of Arab News:
"At about 11:00, there was some kind of smoke coming from inside and outside ... a huge crowd gathered ... this is a main road, a commercial neighborhood ... there have been no American casualties inside ... just now, I heard from a source that there is some firing going inside."

[Newsjock]

12. Instant tinfoil-hat analysis

I guess the price of oil got too low for the Saudis.

[DeepModem Mom]

13. Sky saying no reports of injuries inside consulate --

saying that consulate very heavily fortified, very tight security

[bobthedrummer]

14. US Saudi Arabian embassies were closed last 11-8-2003

due to fear of attacks.

[countryjake]

16. CNN flub

The gal who just broke into "CNN Presents" with this news says that some reports state the possibility of a car bomb. She said that security around the embassy has been especially tight since the bombings at Riyadh. Then she announced that they will continue to report on this situation in Jihadh...quickly correcting herself to say Jeddah!

[DeepModem Mom]

17. Oh, brother, what airheads -- welcome to DU, countryjake --

[countryjake]

24. Thanks DM Mom! Nothing more from CNN here.

I'm on the West coast of the USA & neither of our CNN channels have reported anything more for a half hour. Nothing at MSNBC or Fox either! Figures!

[Zorra]

18. Bu$h and his Saudi buddies creating more FEAR! Reichstag burns! n/t

[DeepModem Mom]

19. Sky reporting that AP reports renewed gunfire --

n/t

[DeepModem Mom]

20. Sky saying Reuters reporting Saudi Natl Gd has entered building --

n/t

[Quakerfriend]

22. How many lives

per gallon?

[DeepModem Mom]

21. Sky saying Reuters reporting 4 Saudi guard killed, 18 local staff hostage

n/t

[bluestateguy]

23. Cable news channels ignoring...

Sky News is trash.

[DeepModem Mom]

25. Well, sorry -- Sky is reporting this story in the UK, as it happens...

and Murdoch's UK Sky, while it has some bells and whistles with its coverage, is not US Fox.

[countryjake]

28. CNN now reporting a confrontation began a couple of hrs ago.

Gunfire can still be heard & smoke is coming from inside the building. Police have sealed off the entire area. No American casualties, four Saudi security forces were killed, ambulances taking people to hospital.

Four or five people initially stormed the consulate, killing the guards...thirty or forty people inside, staffing the embassy. An explosion was heard but no confirmation of any car bomb.

[DeepModem Mom]

26. Sky reporting second explosion breached consulate security --

n/t

[Solly Mack]

27. BBC World is reporting it

car explodes outside
grenandes inside
security penetrated
at least 18 hostages
several taken to the hospital
smoke and gunfire

nothing new really.

[DoYouEverWonder]

29. U.S. Consulate in Jeddah Attacked, on Fire - Yahoo News

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&ncid=721&e=1&u=/nm/20041206/wl_nm/saudi_usa_consulate_dc

JEDDAH, Saudi Arabia (Reuters) - Attackers struck the U.S. consulate in the Saudi city of Jeddah on Monday, setting the building on fire and exchanging fire with security forces.

"I can confirm there has been an attack on the U.S. consulate in Jeddah. The incident is ongoing with Saudi security forces trying to secure the building," said U.S. embassy spokeswoman Carol Kalin.

She said there was no word on American casualties.

A Western executive, quoting officials inside the building, said attackers infiltrated the complex and threw hand grenades. "Several men breached U.S. and Saudi security and lobbed one or several grenades at the building," he said.

[DoYouEverWonder]

30. US mission in Saudi city attackedUS mission in Saudi city attacked - BBC

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/4071387.stm

Attackers have struck the US consulate in the Saudi city of Jeddah, starting a fire at the building and shooting at security forces.

The attack is "still in progress", an official US spokeswoman said. Flames and two heavy plumes of smoke can be seen rising from the compound.

Witnesses quoted by Associated Press said a car exploded in the street outside the heavily-guarded consulate.

There are no reports of US casualties, but it is unclear if others were hurt.

[DeepModem Mom]

31. Sky reporting from Jeddha "quiet," "things seem to have calmed down" --

n/t

[DeepModem Mom]

32. Report one "gunman" killed, two arrested, by Saudis --

n/t

[eablair3]

33. HOSTAGES taken

Top Stories

Hostages Held at U.S. Consulate in Jiddah

AP - 15 minutes ago

An apparent car bomb exploded outside the heavily guarded U.S. consulate in Jiddah on Monday, injuring several people, and Saudi Arabian security forces said four attackers seized an unknown number of hostages inside the building amid a gunbattle.
________________

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&e=1&u=/ap/20041206/ap_on_re_mi_ea/saudi_explosion

[llmart]

34. But at least it's happening "over there"......

and not over here and that makes all the difference in the world. It's so much better to be killed and maimed somewhere else. Oh, thank you, Lord GW for keeping 'Murikans so safe.

[countryjake]

38. ...and we can still get all the latest breaking news...

on Michael Jackson's Neverland.

[countryjake]

35. CNN just reported possible American casualties.

They finally put up some footage, showing smoke coming from the compound & saying that other buildings also may be burning. No one is allowed into the area, but ambulances have been rushing out, heading for hospitals. Possible ongoing hostage situation. No confirmation of any casualties, but Americans may have been killed or injured. Two attackers may be "cornered" in the compound, which looks like a fort, with high walls & machine guns. The attackers appear to have been extremely organized.

(Earlier report stated that the embassy was being staffed by mostly locals & Asians; most US citizens had been evacuated long ago, when security around all American embassies was intensified. Questions about how, exactly, anyone was able to breach the checkpoints & make it thru security.)

[w4rma]

55. The lag in reporting isprobably to run it by Rove to figure out how they

will be allowed to report it.

[countryjake]

63. Only way to get the real story is to catch it as it's happening.

Watched the skewing on CNN for yrs...if eye witnesses happen to not be under the employ of USA, they'll call in with what sounds like a legitimate event, give their description & take on the situation, then the commentator drops it at that, always stating nothing has been confirmed.

Hours later, when this country is out of bed, either absolutely nothing will be mentioned on the event or we'll then get the "official story", which very rarely matches what eyewitnesses have reported or even agrees with reports of other overseas news agencies.

This went on all during the Iraqi Invasion, before those "embeds" realized their jobs might be at stake. I'd watch cell phone footage of horrific battles or bombings...next morning, not a word could be found on the subject. Or maybe a ticker line such as "Americans fired on in Iraq" or "Ten suspected insurgents killed in Iraq" or "Possible injuries to American unit working in Iraq".

Last night, some guy called in saying that two Filipinos & a Pakistani had died in the initial storming of the American compound; he described the consulate as a virtual fort, with machine gun turrets. Five gunmen had diverted guards & then gained entrance to the compound, taking hostages & throwing had grenades inside one of the buildings. He said that almost all the Americans who had once worked at the compound had been evacuated, after the kidnapping & beheading & bombings in Riyadh. He said most of the current employees were Asian, brought there to run a skeleton crew & only about three or four Americans actually could ever be found inside that consulate. At the time he called, the situation was a standoff, with one or two of the attackers still holding hostages, but "cornered" by Saudi forces; sporadic gunfire could still be heard. The CNN commentator said one line at the end of that phone call...nothing has been confirmed.

[DeepModem Mom]

36. Sky reporting situation concluded, 4 Americans safe --

3 gunmen killed.

[Tripmann]

37. Latest from Sky News.....

Eighteen people have been taken hostage and four killed in an attack on the US consulate in Saudi Arabia.

http://www.sky.com/skynews/article/0,,30000-1162998,00.html

Tripmann

[SweetLeftFoot]

40. Melbourne Age reporting ...

Attackers hit US consulate in Jeddah
December 6, 2004 - 9:19PM

Attackers have killed four Saudi guards and taken 18 local staff hostage at the US mission in the port city of Jeddah, security sources said.

Attackers struck the US consulate, setting the building alight and exchanging fire with security forces.

American officials said there were no reports of US casualties, but it was not immediately clear if others were hurt.

The witnesses said the car exploded in front of the consulate, and ambulances were seen rushing to the scene.

Al-Arabiya satellite television reported four attackers tried to storm the compound in a car, but that the car exploded in front instead.

Reuters said the attackers exchanged fire with security forces and reported a Western executive, quoting officials inside the building, saying attackers infiltrated the complex and threw hand grenades.

[fishface]

39. There goes the repuke mantra of "we haven't been attacked

since 9/11" that they always spout. O course now that it happened under their fearless idiot, our consulate will no longer be considered US property like the embasy was in Africa was when Clinton was in office.

[Condor]

41. All americans accounted for

According to CNN international, saying that saudi security forces are still combing the vast area, "as it is not yet secure".

[DeepModem Mom]

42. Thanks, Condor -- and welcome to DU --

[Condor]

45. Thanks DeepModem Mom

It's nice to see that DU is faster and more complete then most news sites i follow.

[Tripmann]

43. Nw reporting 7 dead....

http://www.rte.ie/news/2004/1206/saudiarabia.html

Tripmann

[maddezmom]

47. reuters 7 dead, 7 injured in 3 hrs gun battle

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=540&ncid=736&e=1&u=/ap/20041206/ap_on_re_mi_ea/saudi_explosion

[Condor]

44. CNN: US official says Al Qaeda to blame

http://www.cnn.com/2004/WORLD/meast/12/06/jeddah.attack/index.html

Does not state which official, does not state reason for suspicions, at the bottom there is a reference to last years attacks in Riyadh.

[durablend]

46. There go the oil prices...

And we didn't even get the widely reported "drop at the pumps" that MSM was claiming...

[Greylyn58]

48. Saw This Story On BBC World News

so I tuned in to CNN, MSNBC, ABC, NBC, CBS - didn't look at Fox and not one of them was reporting this story.

NBC was talking about Michael Jackson.
ABC was talking about Scott Peterson.
CBS not sure what they were talking about.
CNN was talking about the Best of 2004
and MSNBC which is showing Imus was talking to Rudi Gulliani

None of the scrolls on the bottom of the screen even talked about what had happened and I watched for a bit.

These people are absolutely unbelievable. This is news and they are just ignoring it.

:grr:

[amandabeech]

52. MSNBC had a little about it in their "Newsbreak" segment

of Imus. They presented an audio report from someone from their Cairo bureau.

Now Imus is yacking with Jim Miklaszewski about Iraq, Rumsfeld, etc. I don't think that he has offered any analysis.

[luaneryder]

53. That is the precise reason I get my news

from DU and other reliable internet sources. I can't stomach the talking air heads and the fluf and nonsense that they pass off as news (just as you mentioned). I see a lot of newbies on this thread; let me add my belated welcome to DU to all.

[signmike]

61. Not a word on MSM propaganda stations in L.A.

I wish I could afford cable.
and something better than dial-up.

[Algorem]

62. saw local FOX station's noon news,didn't mention til 15+ minutes in as

part of their news from around world segment.No big deal,no Americans killed or hostageized,just some of those dark-complected&non-Christian types.Only an American embassy bombed and attacked no big thing Bush is on the case.CBS station was covering it big as first story,though.

[signmike]

66. I saw that on 9. Minimention

I can't stand Fox 11 any more. BTW, their slogan these days is "You just watch" -- isn't that what Bush said a couple years ago, maybe when he first got in the House? "You just watch me"

[praxiz]

54. Sounds like you've been invaded by Saudi-Arabia.

Saudi special forces stormed the consulate? And that's sovereign American soil isn't it?

You just got invaded, America. :) By your best friends, the 9/11-highjackers, errr .. I mean your closest ally in the middle east, the Saudis.

[KansDem]

57. Another "spat" between the House of Bush and House of Saud?

Or perhaps another "deal?"

[Algorem]

59. Those bastards are just trying to stop the vote in Saudi Arabia!I mean

they hate the freedom in Saudi Arabia.Or something.

[maddezmom]

60. Eight Killed in Attack on U.S. Mission in Jeddah

JEDDAH, Saudi Arabia (Reuters) - Muslim militants stormed the heavily fortified U.S. consulate in Jeddah on Monday, killing five non-American staffers, before Saudi forces shot dead three attackers and captured two to regain control.

~snip~

U.S. embassy spokeswoman Carol Kalin said: "We have five confirmed dead among our locally engaged staff and one of them is a contract (security) guard."


She refused to give their nationalities but security sources said they were Arabs and Asians. Kalin said a handful of other employees were in hospital.


A State Department official, who asked not to be named, said some Americans had been lightly wounded.

more: http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=586&ncid=586&e=2&u=/nm/20041206/wl_nm/saudi_usa_consulate_dc

[Psyop Samurai]

64. Sources in Ohio today said...

OH MY GAWD - LOOK AT THE TERRORISTS!!!!!

[maddezmom]

65. AP-Questions Remain After Saudi Arabia Attack

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=542&ncid=693&e=6&u=/ap/20041206/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/saudi_explosion_timeline