Incident Summary:

02/24/2006: Al-Qaida claimed responsibility for an attempted suicide attack on the world's largest oil-producing center in Saudi Arabia's oil-rich Eastern Province that left at least four people dead and eight more wounded. Two Aramco-marked vehicles driven by suicide bombers exploded after they drove up to the gates of Aramco's Abqaiq complex and security officials shot at the cars, detonating the bombs. The two attackers and two security guards were killed.

GTD ID:
200602240009

When:
2006-02-24

Country:
Saudi Arabia

Region:
Middle East & North Africa

Province/administrative
region/u.s. state:

Eastern Province

City:
Abqaiq

Attack Information
Type of Attack (more) Bombing/Explosion
Successful Attack? (more) Yes
Target Information (more)
Target Type: Utilities
Name of Entity Aramco
Specific Description Abqaiq complex
Nationality of Target Saudi Arabia
Additional Information
Hostages No
Ransom No
Property Damage Unknown
Extent of Property Damage Unknown
Value of Property Damage Unknown
Weapon Information
Type Sub-type
Explosives Vehicle
Additional Information
Suicide Attack?Yes
Part of Multiple Incident?No
Criterion 1 (more) Yes
Criterion 2 (more) Yes
Criterion 3 (more) Yes
Doubt Terrorism Proper (more) No
Additional Information After the attack, crude oil prices jumped by more than $2 a barrel on the world market.
Perpetrator Group Information
Group Name Claimed Responsibility
Al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) Yes (Confirmed: Unknown; Mode: Posted to website, blog, etc.)
Perpetrator Statistics
Number of Perpetrators 2
Number of Captured Perpetrators 0
Casualty Information
Total Number of Casualties 4 Fatalities / 8 Injured
Total Number of Fatalities 4
Number of U.S. Fatalities 0
Number of Perpetrator Fatalities 2
Total Number of Injured 8
Number of U.S. Injured 0
Number of Perpetrators Injured 0
Sources
“Saudi Says It Foiled Attack on Oil Facility,” Agence France Presse, February 24, 2006.
Hasan Jamali, “Suicide Bombers Attack World's Largest Oil Facility in Saudi Arabia,” Associated Press, February 24, 2006.
Donna Abu-Nasr, “Attack Shows Battered Al-Qaida Can Still Hit Inside Saudi Arabia,” Associated Press, February 26, 2006.