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US says Saudi Attack Coming
U.S. says militants planning attacks in Saudi
Wed Jul 20, 2005 1:59 PM ET
By Dominic Evans
RIYADH (Reuters) - The United States warned its citizens in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday that militants were planning fresh attacks in the world's biggest oil exporter.
A statement issued by the U.S. embassy in Riyadh said it had no specific details about possible targets or timing of the attacks but advised Americans to keep a low profile.
Saudi Arabia has been battling a two-year wave of violence by supporters of Saudi-born al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden trying to expel Westerners from the country and destabilize the pro-Western royal family.
"The American embassy in Riyadh advises all American citizens living in Saudi Arabia that it has received indications of operational planning for a terrorist attack or attacks in the kingdom," an embassy statement said.
"The embassy has no specific information concerning timing, target or method of any possible attack(s)."
Saudi officials were not immediately available to comment on the warning, which briefly pushed oil prices up 60 cents, but one Saudi security source said there was little sign of any imminent attack and said previous alerts by Western missions had proven unfounded.
"It isn't a result of any specific new threat, except that there are ongoing, credible threats," said Angela Aggelar, spokeswoman for the Consular Affairs division of the State Department in Washington.
"It's just one of our frequent warnings to Americans in the area, to remind them that the security situation there is always pretty grave."
TARGETS
Suicide bombers hit several compounds housing mainly foreigners in 2003 and gunmen waged a series of attacks against Westerners last year, including a daylight raid on the U.S. consulate in the Red Sea city of Jeddah.
Saudi security forces have also been targets. Continued ...
Wed Jul 20, 2005 1:59 PM ET
By Dominic Evans
RIYADH (Reuters) - The United States warned its citizens in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday that militants were planning fresh attacks in the world's biggest oil exporter.
A statement issued by the U.S. embassy in Riyadh said it had no specific details about possible targets or timing of the attacks but advised Americans to keep a low profile.
Saudi Arabia has been battling a two-year wave of violence by supporters of Saudi-born al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden trying to expel Westerners from the country and destabilize the pro-Western royal family.
"The American embassy in Riyadh advises all American citizens living in Saudi Arabia that it has received indications of operational planning for a terrorist attack or attacks in the kingdom," an embassy statement said.
"The embassy has no specific information concerning timing, target or method of any possible attack(s)."
Saudi officials were not immediately available to comment on the warning, which briefly pushed oil prices up 60 cents, but one Saudi security source said there was little sign of any imminent attack and said previous alerts by Western missions had proven unfounded.
"It isn't a result of any specific new threat, except that there are ongoing, credible threats," said Angela Aggelar, spokeswoman for the Consular Affairs division of the State Department in Washington.
"It's just one of our frequent warnings to Americans in the area, to remind them that the security situation there is always pretty grave."
TARGETS
Suicide bombers hit several compounds housing mainly foreigners in 2003 and gunmen waged a series of attacks against Westerners last year, including a daylight raid on the U.S. consulate in the Red Sea city of Jeddah.
Saudi security forces have also been targets. Continued ...
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