Saudis kill another terrorist

AP via Washington Post:

Police on Wednesday shot dead a militant on Saudi Arabia's most-wanted list, the second major terror suspect to die in the country in 24 hours, a Saudi security official said.

Abdel-Rahman Saleh Abdel-Rahman al-Mutab, who was No. 4 on the list of the kingdom's 15 most-wanted suspects, was fatally shot north of Riyadh, the security official said, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the media.

Police had been chasing al-Mutab since he escaped from the running gunbattle in which fellow militant Mohammed Abdel-Rahman Mohammed al-Suwailmi, No. 7 on the most-wanted list, killed five policemen before being fatally wounded Tuesday, officials said.

The deaths of the two militants brings to 10 the number of people on the most-wanted list who have been captured or killed. The list was issued in June.

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Probably one of the biggest of many strategic mistakes made by al Qaeda has been the attempt to terrorize its base in Sauia Arabia. While it may be retaliation for halping the US in the war on al Qaeda, it has undermined the viceral support the organization had in the country and alienated the population. The Saudis were willing to tolerate a certain amount of religious extremism, but they are not willing to tolerate terrorism agaainst the kingdom.