Terror threats surface in Saudi Arabia

WJRT-TV/DT ABC 12 (Flint, MI) ^ | 15 April 2004 | ABC12/The Associated Press

[MegaSilver]

State Department — (04/15/04)-- The State Department says there are "credible indications" of terror threats against Americans in Saudi Arabia.

As a result, it is considering withdrawing non-essential U.S. diplomats and their families from the kingdom.

The government says the threats include the targeting of diplomatic and other official facilities in Riyadh, along with residential compounds.

The U.S. Embassy in Saudi Arabia said in a message yesterday to American citizens in the country that they should stay vigilant, especially in public areas associated with Westerners.

(Copyright 2004 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This story will be only available online for 14 days from its original publishing date.)

[RetiredArmy]

Nothing new about that. Our people have been attacked in the friendly kingdom before.

[Uncle Miltie]

Correction: "Terror threats surface: in Saudi Arabia"

[Jaded]

I think we should discontinue those foreign aid payments. Why? Just because.

[TopQuark]

Another retreat...

And then we wonder why the enemy continues to attack.

[Shermy]

Just added:

http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/nm/20040415/wl_nm/saudi_usa_dc_8

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The State Department on Thursday "strongly urged" private U.S. citizens to leave Saudi Arabia as it announced plans to order some U.S. diplomats out the country because of security concerns.

"Private American citizens currently in Saudi Arabia are strongly urged to depart," the State Department said in a travel advisory after it decided to send nonessential U.S. diplomats and all embassy family members home.

[swarthyguy]

Private American citizens

If AramcoAmericans are being "strongly urged" in diplospeak, that means a "GO GO GO" in normal language, then maybe the balloon's going up.

From a jihadi POV makes sense, the US is stretched in Iraq and Afghanistan, and tho' air power would be available, the jihadis may gamble that the time for the move on Saud is now.

Usually, the residential "compounds" of Americans and Euros have been safe areas.

Osama's message....

[swarthyguy]

Also means very few Yanquis left in the Tragic Kingdom.

Well, if gas becomes as expensive as beer, there'll be a silver lining.

[swarthyguy]

Many of the terrorism suspects killed in police shootouts are not on the list of wanted men issued by authorities, indicating that new faces are joining the group.

"The picture the authorities had of Al Qaeda's strength in Saudi Arabia was not accurate. They have more sympathizers and fighters than they thought, and their language of violence continues to find takers here and support among a segment of Saudi society that shares the common religious ideology of Wahhabism," says Adel al-Toraifi, a columnist at the newspaper Al Watan.

...With the daily television images of soldiers killing Arab women and children in cold blood in Palestine and Iraq, there is growing anti-American feelings among the man in the street, and these guys paint the Saudi government as allies of the United States," says Otaibi

http://www.csmonitor.com/2004/0416/p06s02-wome.html

[TopQuark]

Many thanks, Shermy.