2004 Yanbu attack
Encyclopedia
The 2004 Yanbu attack was an attack by gunmen against Westerners on May 1, 2004, in Yanbu' al Bahr
, Saudi Arabia
.
At least four militant
s used security passes to access a local petrochemical
plant. Once on the grounds of the facility, they stormed the offices of the Texas
-based ABB Lummus and killed seven people. Two were Americans
, two were British
, one was Australia
n and one was a Saudi National Guard member. A Canadian
worker died May 15 of his wounds.
The attackers were believed linked to Al Qaeda, though Crown Prince Abdullah
, then de-facto ruler of Saudi Arabia, disputed these claims at the time. From 2003 to 2004, militants carried out attacks
against the Saudi government and foreigners living there in an effort to topple the monarchy. Less than a month after these attacks, gunmen staged a similar attack in Al-Khobar, killing 22.
Yanbu' al Bahr
Yanbu' al Bahr , also known simply as Yanbu, Yambo or Yenbo, is a major Red Sea port in the Al Madinah province of western Saudi Arabia. It is approximately 350 kilometers north of Jeddah . The population is 188,430...
, Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia , commonly known in British English as Saudi Arabia and in Arabic as as-Sa‘ūdiyyah , is the largest state in Western Asia by land area, constituting the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and the second-largest in the Arab World...
.
At least four militant
Militant
The word militant, which is both an adjective and a noun, usually is used to mean vigorously active, combative and aggressive, especially in support of a cause, as in 'militant reformers'. It comes from the 15th century Latin "militare" meaning "to serve as a soldier"...
s used security passes to access a local petrochemical
Petrochemical
Petrochemicals are chemical products derived from petroleum. Some chemical compounds made from petroleum are also obtained from other fossil fuels, such as coal or natural gas, or renewable sources such as corn or sugar cane....
plant. Once on the grounds of the facility, they stormed the offices of the Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
-based ABB Lummus and killed seven people. Two were Americans
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, two were British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, one was Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n and one was a Saudi National Guard member. A Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
worker died May 15 of his wounds.
The attackers were believed linked to Al Qaeda, though Crown Prince Abdullah
Abdullah of Saudi Arabia
Abdullah bin Abdul-Aziz Al Saud, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, is the King of Saudi Arabia. He succeeded to the throne on 1 August 2005 upon the death of his half-brother, King Fahd. When Crown Prince, he governed Saudi Arabia as regent from 1998 to 2005...
, then de-facto ruler of Saudi Arabia, disputed these claims at the time. From 2003 to 2004, militants carried out attacks
Insurgency in Saudi Arabia
Terrorism in Saudi Arabia is unleashed by radical Islamic fighters. Their targets include foreign civilians—mainly Westerners affiliated with its oil-based economy—as well as Saudi civilians and security forces. Anti-Western attacks have occurred in Saudi Arabia dating back to 1995.-Background:The...
against the Saudi government and foreigners living there in an effort to topple the monarchy. Less than a month after these attacks, gunmen staged a similar attack in Al-Khobar, killing 22.
External links
- Associated Press, "Saudis identify mastermind of Yanbu attack", May 4, 2004.
- K.S. Ramkumar, Arab News, Memorial Service in Houston for Slain Yanbu Engineers, May 6, 2004
- APS Diplomat Recorder (via BNet), "Al Qaeda Claims Yanbu Attack", May 15, 2004
- CBC News, Canadian wounded in Saudi Arabia dies, May 14, 2004