BRITAIN: Britain warned yesterday that militants were in the final stages of planning attacks in Saudi Arabia as Washington shut its missions there for two days and Australia told its citizens to avoid travelling to the kingdom.
Saudi Arabia, battling a two-year campaign of violence by supporters of al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden, said it had no solid information of any imminent attack.
"There are credible reports that terrorists are in the final stages of planning attacks," said an updated advisory posted on the website of the British embassy in the capital Riyadh.
Earlier, Britain cited "credible reports" that militants were planning attacks in the near future. It said Britons in the kingdom should maintain the highest level of vigilance.
Australia's department of foreign affairs told Australians to avoid travel to the kingdom, saying militants might be planning attacks on housing compounds.
"We have received credible reports that terrorists are planning attacks in Saudi Arabia in the near future," the department said on its website.
"This follows other recent reporting suggesting that terrorists may be planning to attack residential housing compounds in Saudi Arabia." The security warnings, combined with worries the US may face a petrol shortage, helped propel oil prices to another record high.
Saudi Arabia, the world's top oil exporter, already has high security around oil installations. Militants have waged a bombing campaign in the kingdom since 2003 to expel westerners from Islam's birthplace and destabilise the pro-US government.
King Abdullah, who came to power this month, is expected to continue a crackdown on militants. - (Reuters)