Kidnapped American's situation 'grim'
Hostage's son pleads for his release
(CNN) -- The status of an American being held hostage in Saudi Arabia was described as "grim" by a U.S. lawmaker who met with a Saudi official Wednesday.
Paul Johnson Jr., a 49-year-old from New Jersey who works for Lockheed Martin, was taken captive by al Qaeda gunmen Saturday.
His captors released a four-and-a-half minute Web video Tuesday and threatened to kill Johnson within 72 hours if their demands were not met.
Sens. Frank Lautenberg and Jon Corzine of New Jersey met Wednesday afternoon with Adel al-Jubeir, the foreign policy adviser to Saudi Crown Prince Abdullah to discuss the matter.
"It's grim," Lautenberg told CNN after the meeting.
"They say they are doing everything humanly possible" to save Johnson, Lautenberg said. "They have called in experts at hostage rescue from the United States to assist them."
When asked whether al-Jubeir was optimistic about the ultimate resolution, however, Lautenberg answered in the negative.
As he spoke, Saudi security forces withdrew from a neighborhood in the capital city of Riyadh after searching a house and mosque, according to The Associated Press.
During the three-hour operation that involved anti-terrorism forces, gunfire was heard and loudspeakers were used to call for those inside to surrender, AP reported.
Earlier in the day, Johnson's son issued a tearful plea for his father's release and appealed to any paternal instincts among the Islamic captors.
"You guys are probably fathers," Paul Johnson III told CNN, with 4-year-old Paul Johnson IV on his knee. "Just please let him come home and be a grandfather."
On the videotape, a masked man claiming to be Abdul Aziz al-Muqrin called for the release of men confined in three Saudi prisons and for Westerners to leave the Arabian Peninsula.
"Otherwise, we will execute him," the man said.
"Killing him is not going to solve anything," said Johnson's sister, Donna Mayeux. "We would just like his safe return."
Saudi authorities have said they won't negotiate with terrorists, but Johnson's son pleaded with both sides to ensure that his father returns home safely.
"He's done a lot for your country," said the younger Johnson. "I respect your country. ... You can make it happen. I'm just asking you, please make this happen. He does not deserve this, and he was just doing his job. And let's please, just bring him home.
"And the group of people holding him -- just, please, he don't deserve this."
Lautenberg noted that the terrorists have suggested that more Americans in Saudi Arabia will be at risk, and al-Jubeir told the senators that there are at least 30,000 Americans currently working in that nation. "That's a destabilizing situation," said Lautenberg.
The senator noted that Saudi officials are deeply concerned about the long-term implications, in addition to their worries about Johnson in particular.
"It's a doomsday scenario for Saudi Arabia. They're really worried [about the future]," said Lautenberg.
Kidnappers' al Qaeda connection
Al-Jubeir indicated Tuesday that it is unlikely any prisoners would be released because the Saudi government does not negotiate with terrorists.
On the video, Muqrin, the self-proclaimed military leader of al Qaeda in Saudi Arabia, spoke on behalf of a group called the Al Falluja Squadron, which claims to have ties to al Qaeda.
Muqrin warned that the blood of Westerners "will fill up the Arabian Peninsula this year."
Sajjan Gohel, a terrorism expert with the Asia-Pacific Foundation, told CNN that Muqrin has played "a leading role" in attacks on Westerners in Saudi Arabia for more than a year.
"He has taken credit for many [of] the compound attacks we've witnessed over the last few months, and he certainly has direct control over various terrorist cells operating throughout the country," Gohel told CNN.
"He is a very dangerous individual. He operates largely independently, but is affiliated to al Qaeda."
U.S. and Saudi officials said Johnson's case is complex because the kidnappers have not contacted anyone directly and therefore any efforts at finding Johnson are limited.
The State Department said the U.S. ambassador to Saudi Arabia, James Oberwetter, met with Johnson's wife in Saudi Arabia this week and has spoken with his son in New Jersey. The ambassador is providing the family with the latest information from Saudi authorities, the State Department said.
How leaving 'plays into their hands'
A senior Saudi official said that in addition to U.S. personnel on the ground, the U.S. has sent FBI personnel with expertise in hostage situations to assist in finding Johnson.
"We are not used to this," the Saudi official said. "We have to engage them and we can't do it through a Web site. If we could talk to them, maybe we can locate him."
Paul Johnson III told CNN that his father does not appear to have been mistreated.
Paul Johnson Jr. helps maintain U.S.-built Apache helicopter gunships for the Saudi military. He has lived in the kingdom for 10 years, his son said.
Another American, Kenneth Scroggs, was killed the same day Johnson was kidnapped -- the latest in a series of attacks on Westerners in the kingdom over the past month. The gunman on the videotape said his group killed one of Johnson's colleagues at the time Johnson was seized.
The State Department has urged all Americans to leave kingdom, but Mayeux said Johnson "always felt safe in Saudi Arabia."
However, asenior State Department official said that given the level of threat information about further attacks, "Americans in Saudi Arabia have to think seriously about whether they should stay in the country."
"We can't impose order," the official said. "Americans are targets. Attacks are ongoing, events are being planned. Some we know about, some we can't predict."
But a senior Saudi official said urging Americans to withdraw from the kingdom sends the wrong message to the terrorists, whose stated goal is for all Westerners to leave the Arabian Peninsula.
"It plays into their hands," the Saudi official said. "If we tell people to leave, we are driving the price up of hostages and [that] encourages more attacks."
CNN's Deborah Feyerick, Henry Schuster, Octavia Nasr and Justine Redman contributed to this report.
He and his family are definitley in my thoughts and prayers.
Sandie
