Last week Al Jazeera reported that a slain al-Qaida leader,in a video recorded before his killing, warned Americans and the US-allied Saudi monarchy to leave the kingdom or face more bloodshed.

In the video, Fahd al-Juweir, one of five militants killed after taking part in the failed February 14th attack on a key oil facility, called on Muslims everywhere to join their fight to expel Westerners and install Islamic rule. It said the raid on the facility was within the framework of efforts by al-Qaida to prevent the theft of Muslims’ oil wealth by “crusaders and Jews” and to force “infidels” out of the peninsula. Two cars had exploded at the gates of the huge facility after security forces fired on bombers trying to storm it. This was the first such major strike in Saudi Arabia since bombers tried to storm the Interior Ministry in Riyadh in December 2004. The prospect of a direct attack on Saudi crude facilities has been a doomsday scenario for oil consumer nations heavily reliant on Saudi oil.
  
Oil prices jumped $2 a barrel on news of the attack in the world’s largest oil exporter, which came a year after Saudi-born Osama bin Laden urged his supporters to hit Gulf oil targets.
Ali al-Naimi, the Saudi oil minister, said oil and gas output was unaffected by the “terrorist attempt”, the first direct strike on a Saudi oil target since al-Qaida fighters launched attacks directed at toppling the country’s pro-Western monarchy in 2003.
   
But Robert Baer, the former Middle East CIA field officer, has described Abqaiq as “the most vulnerable point and most spectacular target in the Saudi oil system”.
 
Gary Ross, CEO at PIRA Energy consultancy in New York said: “It’s not clear what damage there is, but Abqaiq is the world’s most important oil facility. This just emphasises fears over global oil supply security when we’re already facing major ongoing risks in Nigeria, Iran and Iraq.”
       
Most Saudi oil is exported from the Gulf via the producing, pumping and processing facility at Abqaiq, in the mainly Shia Eastern Province. Abqaiq handles crude pumped from the giant Ghawar field and ships it off to terminals Ras Tanura, the world’s biggest offshore oil loading facility, and Juayma. It also pumps oil westwards across the kingdom to Red Sea export terminals.

It was not clear when the video, which was posted on a website used by militant groups, was recorded.
   
“To Americans we tell you to leave Muhammad’s peninsula [Saudi Arabia], and leave all Muslim lands. Stop aiding Jews in Palestine and stop aiding Christians in Muslim lands or else you will face killing, destruction and bombings,” said al-Juweir, who was on a most-wanted list of al-Qaida suspects.

“To the Saudi government, we have come to you to slaughter you and your rule is fleeting … If you knew what the [mujahideen] have prepared for you, you would be fleeing this Arabian peninsula.”

Holy war

Al-Juweir also called on Saudi security forces to join the group’s holy war.

 ”[Prince] Nayef bin Abdul Aziz [the interior minister] told you to sell your souls to his government and kill for him in defence of Americans … Stop defending tyrants and join the mujahideen or else you know what awaits you,” he said.
   
Al-Qaida has vowed more attacks after the attempted assault on the Abqaiq oil processing plant.

Two suicide attackers, both on a list of wanted militants, were killed in the attack which was the first significant strike by al-Qaida militants on oil facilities in the world’s top crude exporter.
   
The Saudi wing of al-Qaida has been waging a violent campaign for more than two years aimed at toppling the pro-US monarchy and expelling Westerners from the birthplace of Islam.
   
Officials say that about 144 foreigners and Saudis, including security forces, and 120 militants have died in attacks and clashes with police since May 2003, when al-Qaida suicide bombers hit three Western housing compounds in Riyadh