The killing of French citizens in a tourist area in the north of Saudi Arabia is definitely getting media attention. It’s still unclear, however, whether three or four were killed [it now appears to be four] and whether any or all of those killed were Muslims. Stories conflict. See below for the most recent reporting. I will update during the day as more information becomes available.
Three French nationals shot dead in Saudi: ministry
Andrew HammondRIYADH (Reuters) - Three French nationals, some of them Muslims, were shot dead in Saudi Arabia on Monday in what appeared to be a militant attack, the Interior Ministry said.
A ministry statement said a group of eight French nationals came under fire near the town of Tabuk and a nearby historical site, Madain Saleh, in the northwest of the vast desert country as they were heading to the holy city of Mecca for a pilgrimage.
Two of the group died at the scene and one of the two wounded died later in hospital, said the statement carried by the official news agency SPA. A state television report earlier said 4 had died.
he group included four men, three women and a child, the ministry said. It said two of the dead were men. A security source said the attackers had singled out the men when shooting.
Reuters is running this story. There aren’t many details, but I’ll watch for them to post as they become available.
UPDATE: BBC is running with this story: French killed in Saudi shooting while Agence France Press has this: Three French killed in Saudi Arabia
Arab News‘ report doesn’t have much more information: Three French Expatriates Shot Dead and Saudi Gazette has yet to post the current edition online.
UPDATE: Saudi Gazette is now online and runs this story, 4 French Nationals Dead in Drive-by Shooting, which has far more detail. The four (or is it three) killed appear to have been French Muslims, in Saudi Arabia with their families in order to take part in the ‘lesser pilgrimage’ or umrah. The article also reprises terrorist attacks on foreigners in Saudi Arabia since 2003.
UPDATE 02/27/07: The Washington Post/Reuters: Fourth Frenchman dies after Saudi attack: doctor. This piece is by Andrew Hammond, Reuters correspondent, whom I trust very much in getting the details right.
New York Times: 3 French Sightseers Killed Near Saudi Holy City
Financial Times: French nationals killed on Saudi tour
The Financial Times also includes a short chronology of attacks against foreigners in Saudi Arabia: Chronology: attacks in Saudi Arabia. One could debate whether or not the starting date, February 2003, is the right one to use. There’s much speculation that earlier attacks, which had been blamed on ‘European alcohol bootleggers’ were actually terrorist attacks.
Khaleej Times runs this Agence France Presse piece, with additional details on the victims: Fourth Frenchman dies after Saudi ambush
The BBC’s report, Saudi ambush claims fourth victim, provides a useful map showing the distances between Madain Salih and Medina.
Asharq Alawsat runs a more comprehensive list of attacks on Westerners in the KSA at Chronology of Attacks on Westerners in Saudi Arabia
Madain Salih, the reported destination of the tourists, is the southern extension of the Nabatean civilization, known through the more famous ruins at Petra, in Jordan. It is also of interest to archaeologists studying the Thamud civilization. As the historic Hijaz Railway also runs through the area, it draws those interested in more modern history as well. UPDATE: I have confirmed with sources in the KSA that the area in which the shooting took place was not restricted to Muslims.
While non-Muslims are not permitted in the city of Medina (or Mecca) as a general rule, Islam is both flexible and merciful enough to permit emergency medical care for non-Muslims in either of those cities, I believe. Thus, the fact that one of those who later died was being treated in a Medina hospital does not actually indicate whether he was Muslim or not.
This last comment is intended to correct a misimpression created by the Islamophobic blog JihadWatch by Robert Spencer. He is claiming in his blog that those killed were in an area restricted to Muslims only. That is patently false. NOTE: This error appears in a wire story from the Associated Press. It may be the root of later stories with the same mistake.
UPDATE 20:05 Arab News runs this story, with considerably more detail:
Shooting Survivors Return to Riyadh
Raid Qusti & Muhammad Abdullah, Arab NewsRIYADH/MADINAH, 28 February 2007 — The remaining five members of the French group who were targeted by unknown gunmen 50 km north of Madinah off the Tabuk highway returned to the capital yesterday evening amid tight security.
The group arrived at Riyadh’s King Khaled International Airport on a private flight from Madinah at 8:30 p.m. Officials from the French Embassy and the Saudi Interior Ministry received them along with loved ones.
Two men died when assailants in car opened fired on a group of nine French nationals after the group visited the historic site of Madain Saleh. A third man died while his wife rushed him to a hospital. The fourth victim, a 17-year-old boy named Mubarak, whose father was also killed in the ambush, died after undergoing surgery to extract a bullet from a lung overnight….
Given the information that the teenage boy who died was named ‘Mubarak’, it is entirely likely that his family was Muslim. This would explain their being given medical treatment and shelter in Medina and completely moot the question of non-Muslims being permitted in Medina.
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February:27:2007 - 09:15
You put a lot of work into your site. I am a frequent visitor (from different IPs).
Keep up the good work.
FC
February:27:2007 - 09:15
Thanks!
February:27:2007 - 09:15
Speculation is flowing abundantly in the Kingdom right now with theories that the victims were attacked by beudions, islamic militants, as well as Al-Qaida. Facts as you have accurately portrayed are that there have been fatalities of male French nationals and last night’s local news here in the Kingdom showed two of the victims bodies being prayed over in Medina indicating at least that part of the group were indeed Muslim. It is known that the incident took place in a tribal area near Maidan Saleh which is an area open to all — not restricted to Muslims only such as Mecca and Medina. However it is quite unlikely that noone is aware of or someone from the tribal area did not see the incident. Little goes unnoticed or unknown in tribal regions. Not surprisingly the authorities are releasing few details but sticking to the basic facts such as who, where, and when. The How and why remain of speculation and topics of hot discussion. It should be noted that the Saudi authorities in conjunction with French authorities are working closely together to identify and apprehend the attackers. It’s hoped that such an incident does not stir up a new round of “Saudi-bashing and paranoia.” In my opinion this tragic incident was an isolated incident and truly a target of opportunity for the attackers.
Please keep up your excellent notices and commentaries.
Regards,
American Bedu (Riyadh resident)
February:27:2007 - 09:15
Thanks very much for the information.
To date, this story has resulted in rather little coverage in the American media beyond factual reporting. That may be because the story is a complicated one. Were the French strictly non-Muslim, there’s a template in which to place the story and its resultant commentary. Were they all Muslim, a different narrative template is available.
As the group seems to have been mixed Muslim and non-Muslim, it doesn’t fit into any template and requires harder thinking. That may come about as more facts are learned.
At this moment, what it means is really unknown. I think the Saudi government’s restraint is correct at the moment. But as more becomes known, more will have to be said.