Hello,
I am sure all of you know by now of the attack on the US consulate in Jeddah yesterday. I myself found out when I had come home for my lunch break. I did hear an exploding noise, but my colleague said that probably something big must have fallen on site. My workplace is about 5 minutes away from the US consulate by car.
I switched on the TV and watched the ticker news on one of the Pakistani channel: Jeddah-US Consulate attacked. I was in disbelief at first. Is this the same consulate where I went to get my I-20 back in 1996? Is this the same consulate that I made several trips to this summer with my sister when applied for her visa? Apparently, as the news became clearer, it turned out to be the same consulate.
I am not going go into the details of what happened, since there are still some conflicting and unconfirmed reports, but I will just give you a brief idea of what happened.
> Just before 11am, 5 gunmen drove up a car up to the main gate of the consulate and threw a grenade, which exploded very loudly.
> Gunmen made their way inside the consulate after exchanging fire with the Saudi guards outside at the gate.
> Local non-American staff taken hostage.
> American staff retreat into “safe haven,” which is like a bunker or a panic-room. The local staff included people from different countries: Sudanese, Pakistani, Indian and Filipino.
> Ambulances and Saudi police arrived on the scene in about 25-30 minutes, and by that time there was a huge smoke billowing out of the compound. Sporadic gunfire could be heard from inside.
> Police and army men went inside the compound, and from my understanding of the events, started shooting at one another randomly. The gun battle lasted for about 3 hours.
> Aftermath: 3 gunmen killed, 2 gunmen arrested, 4 Saudi guards killed (although the Saudi Interior ministry denies this) and 5 local staff killed, some after succumbing to serious injuries.
There were reports of buildings with glass shattered from the impact of the noise of the grenade explosion. There was even one report which said that a window of the 9th floor of a shopping center some 400meters away was shot at. Roads were blocked; traffic was at least a mile long. Schools were off early. Parents rushed to get the children. One of my friend, whose office is close to the consulate, sms-ed me and told me “gun shots are so loud.” All the while, I was glue to the TV. I was in the middle of a serious event in Jeddah.
It seemed so surreal to me at the time. It was scary, and I did not know how the whole thing would end. It is different when you hear news of an event which is over, but it is more terrifying to listen to what’s happening while the event is still on going. I was thinking about the 4 Saudi guards who were killed. They were guards that I would see every time I passed by the consulate. What did they do to deserve death like this? How would they that that fateful morning, death would come to them? I could imagine now what people go through in Iraq, or in any other city which is attacked by terrorists. I can imagine their fear, anger and shock.
There were mixed reactions from the local people. Some Saudis were glad that this happened. “Americans should know what it is like to be killed.” Some were angry and upset that an event like this happened in Jeddah. I fall into the second category. I was really upset and shocked to hear of something like this happening in Jeddah. Jeddah is where I grew up; it is almost like a second home to me. Yet, something like this happens here. I don’t feel so safe anymore now. I think twice now about hanging out in places like Chilis, McDonalds, TGIF and Starbucks now.
I hope and pray that the situation does not get worse. I am thankful to two friends who wrote to me, showing their concern for me.
Till then, take it easy,
Mansur
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