Blasts in Riyadh kill 29 and injure over 50

Four explosions, which ripped through a business premises and three residential centres in the Saudi Arabian capital Riyadh, are feared to have killed at least 29 people.

It is believed that 10 of the dead were American citizens.

British Embassy officials in Riyadh confirmed that some of those slightly injured in the attack were known to be Britons. But they were unable to confirm whether any British nationals were among the dead as they were still checking with Saudi authorities.

The attacks were carried out on the headquarters of a jointly owned Saudi-US firm. The three residential areas were mostly home to foreign nationals.

Vehicles packed with explosives were parked close to the residential centres before being detonated, apparently without warning. One report claimed that there had been a gun battle with terrorists as Saudi security forces attempted to thwart one of the attacks.

The Saudi interior minister said in an interview that the attack was linked to a weapons find earlier this month. He said that 19 people were being sought in relation to the find and it is believed that fugitive al-Qaida terrorist leader Osama Bin Laden personally orchestrated the attack.

Arriving in Riyadh airport shortly after the explosions occurred yesterday, US Secretary of State Colin Powell confirmed that 10 Americans had been killed in the blasts.

Mr Powell told reporters: “Terrorism strikes everywhere and everyone. It is a threat to the civilised world.”

Although no group is yet thought to have claimed the attacks, Mr Powell said that it “bore all the hallmarks” of an al-Qaida attack.

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud, who met Mr Powell at the airport, expressed his sorrow at the attack and said that his country would co-operate fully to fight terrorism.

Two weeks ago the US government announced the withdrawal of all its forces from Saudi Arabia following the fall of Saddam Hussein’s regime in Iraq.

(SP)