Saudi Mufti condemns Jeddah attack, Washington warns its citizens

The general Mufti of Saudi Arabia Sheikh Abdul Aziz Bin Abdullah al-Sheikh denounced the breaking into the American consulate in Jeddah on Monday and described it as a prohibited act.

In a statement, al-Sheikh said that "each and every one who entered Saudi Arabia at the permission of the ruler is given security and should not be attacked." However, the Saudi authorities announced that one Yemeni, one Sudanese, one Palestinian, one Pakistani and one from Sri Lanka were all killed in the attack in addition to four of the five executors of the attack, who are all of Saudi nationality, while the fifth was injured.

Al-Qaida organization in the Arab Peninsula claimed responsibility for the attack in a statement issued on the Internet.

Meantime, one of the relatives of Fayez al-Jihni -- one of the four gunmen who were killed in the attack -- said that Fayez was arrested 8 months ago and he was released at a guarantee by his elder brothers and he disappeared upon him leaving the prison and then his brother notified the police over his disappearance.

The Saudi authorities seek to know how the attackers had entered the building of the consulate and crossed the gate, especially that the tightened security measures indicate that they are enough to prevent any attack of that sort.

For its part, Washington expressed its fears of new attacks against Saudi Arabia and recommended its citizens to be in the utmost caution. The spokesman for the US Department Of State, Adam Early, said that gunmen in Saudi Arabia are still active and seek to target the American citizens and Washington's interests in the kingdom.

The American embassy in Riyadh opened its doors after two day closure while the consulate in Jeddah is still closed.