Foreign Office Says Saudi Britons Were Targeted By Car Bombs
LONDON (AFP) - Britain's Foreign Office confirmed Friday that two attacks on Britons in Saudi Arabia in the past week were car bombs, and urged its nationals in the country to "exercise increased caution."
One Briton was killed and one injured in the first explosion last Friday, and three were wounded in a second blast in the early hours of Thursday.
"A British technical expert carried out a forensic investigation with the Saudi authorities and the conclusion of that investigation was yes, we are talking about bombs," a Foreign Office spokesman told AFP.
The Foreign Office warned Britons traveling to Saudi Arabia to be vigilant and repeated existing advice to British citizens who live there to upgrade their security.
On its website the Foreign Office said no group had claimed responsibility for the attacks, both in the Saudi capital Riyadh, and their motive remained unclear, but it was "possible" they were linked.
Saudi officials said Thursday that the attacks appeared to be personal and not politically motivated, although both came amid anti-western sentiment and Arab anger stirred up by Israeli-Palestinian clashes in the Middle East.
The Foreign Office spokesman said it was too early to comment on speculation that the two attacks were acts of terrorism.
"Investigations are continuing. We are keeping in very close touch with the Saudi authorities ... and we are not yet commenting on speculation as to possible motivation," he said.
He added: "It's too early to say who's responsible, but clearly we are greatly concerned about the attacks.
"Safety of expatriates is the predominant concern and we've taken decisive action to warn the British community of the dangers."
