Posted on 11/08/2003 6:40:39 PM PST by blam
Gulf on terror alert as blast hits Riyadh
Smoke seen rising near expatriate compound in Saudi Arabian capital
Martin Bright, home affairs editor
Sunday November 9, 2003
The Observer
An explosion rocked the Saudi capital Riyadh late last night. Smoke could be seen rising from an area in the western part of the city, and there were reports that it was at a residential compound housing foreigners. The blast came a day after the United States warned of the likelihood of terrorist attacks and shut its missions in Saudi Arabia. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has also warned Britons not to travel to the country except on essential business. British nationals in the Gulf state of Bahrain were also warned of a 'high threat' of terrorist attack.
The extent of the damage in Riyadh was not immediately clear, and it was not known if there were any casualties.
A Western diplomat told Reuters news agency that he got a call from a friend who reported seeing smoke rising from a building on the other side of the diplomatic quarter near an area where the palaces of the royal family's senior princes are located. The Al-Arabiya television network said an explosion shook a building in west Riyadh.
On Thursday in Saudi Arabia, two suspected members of an al-Qaeda cell blew themselves up to avoid arrest; a third suspect was shot dead by security forces.
In an interview with a London-based Saudi newspaper, Ash-Sharq Al-Awsat, the US Secretary of State, Colin Powell, said the Saudi authorities should be more active in rooting out terrorists, especially in pursuing their funding sources. US intelligence officials said Islamic terrorists could be planning to seize cargo planes and fly them at sensitive American targets.
Western journalists in Afghanistan have been warned of the risk of kidnapping from the resurgent Taliban and in Iraq, the Red Cross announced the temporary closure of its offices in Baghdad and Basra because of the 'extremely dangerous and volatile situation'.
In a statement on the situation in Bahrain, the FO said: 'We judge that there is a high threat from terrorism against Western, including British, targets. We are particularly concerned about potential threats to places where Westerners might gather. You should review your security arrangements carefully. You should remain vigilant, particularly in public places.'
The Prince of Wales is now on a visit to Oman, which borders Saudi Arabia and is not far from Bahrain, but is not believed to have changed his plans.
US Homeland Security spokesman Brian Roehrkasse said: 'The US intelligence community remains concerned about al-Qaeda's interest in carrying out attacks on us overseas.'
He said the terror alert would remain at 'yellow', which indicates an elevated risk of attack.
US officials said the warning about cargo planes had come from a single source but they were nevertheless taking it seriously. Security staff at nuclear plants, bridges and dams have been warned of the potential threat.
they act like demonRATS...n thought they were exempt...
just be nice to them, pay $$$ to suicide bomber families, n maybe they wouldn't murder you...
they never learn.
kill them. before they kill you...
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