Al Khobar hostages rescued

Saudi commandos jumped from helicopters to storm a housing complex yesterday and free dozens of foreign hostages from terrorists, ending an attack on the oil industry that authorities said killed 22 civilians.

Security forces burst into the upmarket Oasis compound after a 25-hour drama in the eastern oil city of Al Khobar. The Interior Ministry said three of the four terrorists escaped, holding hostages at gunpoint for cover, but their leader was captured. The terrorists escaped in a stolen car.

An Internet statement purporting to come from Osama bin Laden's Al Qaida network said it carried out the unprecedented hostage-taking, which raised the stakes in a battle Saudi Arabia has waged against the group for a year.

In a dramatic end to the standoff, helicopters drop-ped commandos onto the roof of the complex. The Interior Ministry said 41 foreigners were rescued and 201 other residents who had been trapped in the compound were evacuated.

The official figures did not make clear how many people were killed during the rescue and how many when the attack was launched on several Al Khobar buildings on Saturday, but a Saudi diplomat said nine bodies had been found at the Oasis complex.

The victims included an American, a Briton, a South African, an Italian, eight Indians, a Swede, three Saudis, three Filipinos, two Sri Lankans and an Egyptian child. The statement said 25 people of various nationalities were injured.

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