Saudis thwart oil refinery attack

Al Qaeda claims responsibility on Web site

Oil facility at Abqaiq, Saudi Arabia

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(CNN) -- Saudi security forces have thwarted an attempted suicide attack at an oil processing facility in eastern Saudi Arabia, Saudi security sources told CNN.

Al Qaeda claimed responsibility for the attack, in a message posted on a Islamist Web site that has previously carried al Qaeda messages.

Although the claim cannot be independently verified, Al Qaeda often uses the Arab-language site for announcements such as taking blame for acts of violence, according to CNN Senior Editor for Arab Affairs Octavia Nasr. She said the group identified itself as al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, also known as al Qaeda in Saudi Arabia.

The information on the Internet said two suicide bombers drove cars into the facility, as part of a bigger plan to attack "the crusaders," according to a translation by Nasr.

Earlier statements from Saudi's interior and oil ministries said two cars carrying an unknown number of would-be bombers tried to enter the side gate to the Abqaiq plant near Dammam, but the attackers detonated their explosives after security guards fired on them.

Two guards were critically injured in the blast, according to the interior minister's spokesman.

Saudi security consultant Nawaf Obaid said the cars breached the outer security perimeter after opening fire on security guards, killing three and wounding 10, before being stopped at a second security perimeter, where they set off the explosives.

The explosions caused a "minor fire" in a nearby industrial area that was quickly brought under control, the government statements said.

The incident did not affect the facility's operations, said Saudi Oil Minister Ali bin Ibrahim al-Naimi.

The incident happened shortly after 3 p.m. (7 a.m. ET) about 1.5 km (1 mile) from the plant's main entrance, he said.

All of the would-be attackers were killed, according to Obaid and a senior Saudi security official.

Al Qaeda has long called for attacks on Saudi oil installations, accusing the country's government of selling oil to the West at cheap prices, The Associated Press said.

The group is run by the Saudi-born Osama bin Laden, who wants to topple the Saudi monarchy and replace it with an Islamic state. The Saudi authorities have said their oil facilities are well protected.

CNN's Henry Schuster and Caroline Faraj contributed to this report.

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