An Irish civil engineer was killed in the Saudi Arabia capital, Riyadh, yesterday afternoon in a shooting that had the hallmarks of a terrorist attack, writes Mark Brennock
The Department of Foreign Affairs confirmed last night that the dead man is Mr Anthony Christopher Higgins, believed to be in his early 60s.
A Saudi official said at least two men armed with machine guns stormed the office of the Saudi-owned Rocky for Trade and Construction after 4 p.m. Irish time and began shooting.
A Western diplomat was quoted by news agency AFP as saying Mr Higgins had been shot a total of four times in the head and chest at his office while the Dubai-based Al-Arabiya satellite television station reported he was 63 years old.
The Department last night confirmed the killing of Mr Higgins in his office in the eastern part of the city, but said it had no information on the motive. A spokeswoman said the Department was providing consular assistance.
While there was no clear information last night on the motive for the killing, there was strong speculation that it was the latest in a series of killings by Saudi militants linked to al-Qaeda.
Mr Higgins is the second Irishman shot dead in Saudi Arabia in two months.
On June 6th, Simon Cumbers (36), a BBC cameraman, was shot and killed while filming a militant's family home in Riyadh.
Saudi militants linked to al-Qaeda are blamed for some 90 killings of foreigners in the past 14 months in a campaign to undermine the Saudi economy, which is heavily dependent on foreign workers. The militants are seeking to overthrow the ruling Saudi royal family.
Since May 2003, the kingdom has suffered a series of suicide bombings, gun battles and kidnappings.
The last terror attack against a westerner was the kidnapping of American engineer Paul Johnson on June 12th and his beheading six days later.
Two other Americans, were killed in the kingdom in the week before Johnson's kidnapping.
The wave of violence in Saudi Arabia began on May 12th last when car bombs targeted three compounds housing foreign workers, killing 35 people, including nine suicide bombers and injuring more than 200 others.
About 1,200 Irish people work in the kingdom. The Department of Foreign Affairs has advised Irish people not to undertake non-essential travel to Saudi Arabia, and has also urged Irish residents to take security measures because of recent attacks.
The Department's website warns Irish citizens to "keep a low profile" when in Saudi Arabia.
The British Government has given its citizens the same advice, while the US Government has advised its 35,000 Americans living in Saudi Arabia to leave the kingdom.