SAUDI ARABIA: A leading al-Qaeda militant was killed in a shoot-out in Riyadh yesterday. Saudi security officials said Abdullah Mohammed Rashid al-Roshoud, believed to be the chief ideologue for al-Qaeda in the Arabian peninsula, died in the clash in the al-Quds neighbourhood.
A policeman was also killed in the incident and six security personnel and three bystanders were injured.
The incident happened following last week's amnesty offer by King Fahd to wanted militants. He said fugitives who surrendered to police within one month would not face the death penalty.
Al Arabiya television, which is Saudi-owned, said security forces were still chasing two other militants. It said police had found a large quantity of explosives and "important data" in a militant 'safe' house in eastern Riyadh.
Several people were also arrested in what the channel quoted security sources as saying was a "very important operation".
Al-Qaeda denounced the amnesty and said it was doomed to fail.
In al-Qaeda's bloodiest attack, 22 civilians were killed last month in the eastern oil city of Khobar after a shooting and hostage-taking spree.
Saudi Foreign Minister Saud al-Faisal has vowed to protect foreign residents, but says the kingdom's battle with al-Qaeda is not yet over.