Is publishing the names and photographs of policemen who confront terrorists a good thing? Or is it a grave mistake that can pose a huge risk to the Kingdom's security and the security of our officers? Many people asked these questions shortly after a video appeared showing a policeman in a shootout with two terrorists in the Al-Yasmeen neighborhood of Riyadh. The police officer's photo was in the newspapers the next day. The brave officer shot dead two terrorists who refused to surrender when their hideout was raided. The raid itself shows how vigilant the Saudi police were in preventing terrorists from wreaking havoc in the neighborhood as both terrorists were wearing suicide belts. Of course, this is not the first time security officers have foiled a terrorist plot. It also showed the sophisticated tools officers use to gather information about terrorists and pursue them in their hideouts. Revealing the identity of the brave officer has made many people wonder how we can guarantee that his safety is not jeopardized. Some say that publishing the photo has enabled terrorist groups to identify him. This group of people base their opinion on the fact that several security officers have been assassinated in the past. Let us not forget that over 128 terrorist operations have been carried out in the Kingdom over the past 16 years and that this has resulted in the death of 1,147 security officers, citizens and expatriate workers. Anti-terrorism officers and drug enforcement officers confront and deal with dangerous organized gangs that operate sleeper cells inside and outside the Kingdom. These gangs have long-term plans. That is why the photos of police officers should never be published in the media. If published, the officers will conceal their identities with masks that hide their facial features. Those officers always appear masked, even when training and carrying out drills. Perhaps the photo was published by mistake. Whatever the reason, we should never forget that fighting terrorism never ends. We should also remember that some terrorist groups are run by foreign intelligence agencies that want to harm and target the national security of our country.
