SAUDIS ALLOW AL QAIDA TO FLEE KHOBAR

ABU DHABI [MENL] -- Saudi commandos allowed Al Qaida insurgents to flee aforeign compound to halt their execution of Western hostages. Saudi security sources confirmed that a National Guard specialoperations forces unit agreed to an offer by Al Qaida gunmen to end theexecution of the Western hostages in the Oasis compound in exchange for asafe exit. The sources said three of the four Al Qaida operatives managed todrive in a car for nearby Dammam.