– SULTAN JUBRAN AL-QAHTANI [ ZUBAYR AL-RIMI ]

 

On 09/01/2001, 10 days before The 9/11, Zubayr Al-Rimi told his father he was leaving southern Saudi Arabia to perform Hajj, but instead traveled to Afghanistan where he met with militant leaders. He participated, in 12/2001, in the battle in Tora-Bora from where he managed to escape back to Pakistan.

Zubayr Al-Rimi returned to Saudi Arabia in early 2002, re-enrolled in classes and finished his degree in Physical Education, before again returning to Afghanistan.

In 11/ 2002, Zubayr Al-Rimi was introduced by the American Ahmed Omar abu-Ali by their mutual friend Moeith al-Qahtani, who had studied at the Islamic Medina University. Several months later, Zubayr Al-Rimi introduced Ahmed Omar Abu Ali  to Ali Faqasi al-Ghamdi, who sent him back to his country, USA, to await further instructions.

On 05/03/2003, just about a week before the Riyadh Suicide Attacks , which marked the beginning of a terror campaign launched by Al Qaeda against the monarchy in Saudi Arabia, the Saudi authorities published a list of 19 most-wanted Islamic terrorists in the kingdom, including Zubayr Al-Rimi. The 19 suspects have been named in connection with a large arms cache seized in Riyadh few days earlier. He was also accused of complicity in the Riyadh bombings.

Zubayr Al-Rimi’s wife, Hanan Raqib, was arrested in the beginning of 06/2003, along with the wife of Ali Faqasi al-Ghamdi and two other women.

Zubayr Al-Rimi passed a massage to Ahmed Omar abu-Ali, on 06/06/2003, explaining that he had escaped the raid, but didn’t know the extent of who else had been captured. He cautioned Abu Ali to ready himself, and refrain from any risky behavior which might give away his cover.

Following the arrest and interrogation of Ahmed Omar Abu Ali in Saudi Arabia, in 06/2003, Zubayr Al-Rimi was put, on 09/05/2003, on the list of the FBI wanted Islamic terrorists, along with the Moroccan Abdel Karim Mejjati in connection with possible threats against the United States.

On 09/23/2003, Saudi forces stormed a farmhouse outside Jizan’s King Fahd Hospital, (Jizan is the most South-Western province of Saudi Arabia on the Border with Yemen)   leading the militants inside to flee to the neighboring Abu-Arish apartment complex. They had been allowed to live in the Abu Arish complex by a married couple who worked as pharmacist and doctor in the hospital. Inside, the militants took doctors and nurses hostages, and harried them to the roof of the building. Authorities used loudspeakers to warn the 3000 residents of the building to remain in their apartments and avoid windows, and began firing tear gas and assaulting the housing compound.

After killing a Sergeant and wounding four other officers, the hostages were released and two gunman surrendered, while Zubayr Al-Rimi and two other militants, Khalid bin Ali al-Shahri and Turki al-Bishri were killed.

 

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