ABU DHABI Ñ Another Western national has come under attack in Oman.
A German national was killed in what Western diplomats said appeared to
be an Islamic insurgency attack. It was the second shooting of a European
national in the sultanate in several weeks.
On Tuesday, a German national was shot dead near the British embassy in
Muscat. The British embassy said the shooting took place in a busy area
during
broad daylight.
It was the second shooting in more than a month. In late October, a
British tourist was shot and seriously injured near a Muscat hospital.
Western diplomats said that the circumstances in both shootings suggested an
insurgency attack.
Oman has not acknowledged that either shooting comprised an insurgency
attack. Omani officials said that the British tourist was injured in a
hunting accident.
But the British embassy said both shootings appeared similar. The
embassy
did not elaborate.
Western countries have warned their nationals of the prospect of Islamic
attacks in a range of Gulf Cooperation Council states. So far, Western
governments have issued warnings for Bahrain, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and the
United Arab Emirates.
In Riyad, Saudi authorities said they captured a suspect in the
Nov. 9 suicide attack on the Muhaya compound in the Saudi capital. A Saudi
Interior Ministry statement said the suspect was captured a week ago when
security forces raided an Al Qaida stronghold that contained an SA-7
surface-to-air missile and one ton of explosives.
GCC economists have raised the prospect that Al Qaida threats to Gulf
Arab regimes could drive away foreign laborers and investors. The economists
said the impact could be greatest in Saudi Arabia, which has borne the brunt
of Islamic insurgency strikes over the last six months.
