Upon Powell's arrival to Saudi Arabia, four explosions hit Riyadh, scores are victims
Saudi Arabia, Local, 5/13/2003

After less than one week on the Saudi authorities discovery of a cell linked to al-Qaida organization and just one day after threats made by a Saudi organization to attack the American interests, and on the wake of the visit of the US Secretary Of State Colin Powell to Saudi Arabia, four large explosions hit Riyadh yesterday.

One of the explosions targeted a residential complex to the east of the capital inhabited by American and foreigners and this resulted in a large number of people killed or wounded.

In a short statement, the Saudi ministry of the interior said that three explosions took place and the authorities are making investigations.

Diplomatic sources at the Jordanian capital Amman where Powell is spending his night said that three complexes were hit while unconfirmed news said that most of the people there are Americans.

News reports said that a fourth explosion targeted the headquarters of an American- Saudi company.

Witnesses said that two explosions took place in the eastern sector of Riyadh and ambulances were seen hurrying to the residential complex called al-Hamra where smoke was seen, according to the witnesses. The security forces cordoned the area. The complex which is inhabited by Americans and other westerners is situated on the way to the airport.

Citizens from Gharnata sector of the same area said that an explosion also took place at the offices of the American FANIL company whose experts are training the Saudi national guards led by the Crown Prince Abdullah. A fire erupted in this company and ambulances hurried to it.

The Saudi opposition member who resides in London Saad al-Faqih told al-Jazira TV that what had happened in Gharnata was a martyrdom operation and that a "suicider" broke into the complex with a truck and detonated himself and this resulted in killing the guards of the complex while many others were killed or wounded.

Witnesses in Riyadh said that fire was exchanged between two unidentified sides in the area after the explosions took place. The TV correspondent said that scores of bodies were there as a result of the explosion and that the Saudi forces are besieging 19 gunmen at the area of the explosion.

An official at the US Department Of State said, according to preliminary information that three booby trapped cars were detonated in front of residential complexes inhabited by Americans and westerners in Riyadh. The official added that no American official is living in the residential complex in Riyadh.

Some 30,000 to 60,000 Americans are living in Saudi Arabia against 60,000 ten years ago.

On May 8, Saudi Arabia's minister of the interior Prince Nayef Bin Abdul Aziz announced that his ministry is chasing at least 19 persons of al-Qaida organization, planning to destabilize the country. This announcement was followed by seizing large amounts of weapons in Saudi Arabia that will be used in "terrorist acts" according to the ministry of the interior.

Worthy mentioning that a Saudi organization close to al-Qaida organization called on its supporters on Sunday to attack American interests in the world.

Previous Stories:
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  Saudi - Tunisian economic cooperation   (5/7/2003)
  One American was wounded in a fire launched in a Saudi base   (5/2/2003)
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