US Warns Western Compounds in Saudi Capital May be Terror Targets - 2003-12-02

The U.S. embassy in Saudi Arabia is warning Americans that compounds housing Westerners in the capital, Riyadh, may be the target of possible terror attacks.

The U.S. embassy in Riyadh warned Tuesday there was a specific terrorist threat against the Seder housing complex in the Saudi capital.

The embassy said recent, confirmed information indicates that the complex had been under active surveillance by terrorist elements and that other Western housing compounds in Saudi Arabia may also be targeted for terrorist attacks.

As a result, the embassy said it was restricting American employees and their families from visiting housing complexes in Riyadh between six o'clock at night and six o'clock the next morning, except for official visits.

A similar warning was issued by the British embassy in Riyadh on Saturday.

Terrorists attacked a residential compound in Riyadh November 8 that killed 17 people and wounded more than 120 others.

In May, triple suicide bombings of residential compounds in the Saudi capital killed 35 people including Americans.