US warns of possible attacks in Saudi

The US embassy in Saudi Arabia has warned its citizens of possible attacks on compounds housing Westerners and said it had information…

The US embassy in Saudi Arabia has warned its citizens of possible attacks on compounds housing Westerners and said it had information that at least one residential complex was under surveillance by militants.

In response to the information, the embassy said it was restricting its American employees and their dependants from visiting housing compounds in the capital Riyadh at night.

"Recent confirmed information indicates that the Seder Village housing compound in Riyadh has been under active surveillance by terrorist elements," the embassy said in a warning to US citizens in the kingdom on Tuesday.

"Other Western compounds within the kingdom may also be targeted," the statement said.

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The US warning comes three days after Britain reminded its 30,000 nationals in Saudi Arabia that militants might be in the final phases of planning attacks in the kingdom.

Last month, two Saudi suicide bombers killed at least 18 people, mainly Arab expatriates, at a Riyadh housing compound.

On May 12th, the triple suicide bombing of three other housing complexes killed at least 35 people, including Americans and other foreigners.

Saudi authorities have blamed Saudi-born Osama bin Laden's al-Qaeda network for both attacks and the recent surge in militant-related violence in the kingdom.