Bent, what release or package are you using? If the Linux source package for 2006-07-08, here's what you should do: first download, then unpack the file as a normal user (not root). Then, compile with the command
after it finishes, if everything is successful, then become root and run
The reason I tell you to do this is that maybe you are trying to build the game in a place where you don't have permissions to perhaps? Anyway there's no need to use root until you actually install. Also, consider checking out the code from SVN since it has several bug fixes.