Saudi police kill al Qaeda suspect
RIYADH (CNN) -- Saudi police killed at least one suspected al Qaeda militant and wounded a number of others Thursday during a shootout in the northeast part of the capital Riyadh, Saudi security sources told CNN.
The gun battle was a continuation of a major sweep targeting suspected militants, they said.
Police vehicles chased down the suspects and a shootout ensued. The dead and wounded were taken to a hospital, the sources said.
Security forces said the house at the center of the raid was being used by militants to store weapons and materials to make bombs.
Wednesday, police raided a similar facility, killing a man believed to be al Qaeda's top ideologue in Saudi Arabia, the sources said.
A policeman was also killed in that incident, they said.
The incident Wednesday began when police, following a tip, surrounded a building about 7 km (4.3 miles) from central Riyadh in the residential neighborhood of al Quds, the Saudi Press Agency said.
Last week, Saudi authorities announced an amnesty program for al Qaeda supporters and gave them a month to turn themselves in. So far, only two have done so.
-- CNN Sr. International Correspondent Nic Robertson contributed to this report
