JEDDAH, 4 January — A high-level Saudi source has said that the results of investigations into the recent bomb attacks against British nationals in the Kingdom will be announced soon. "The results of the investigation will be disclosed shortly," the source said.
Speaking to Al-Riyadh Arabic daily, the Interior Ministry source said there was nothing unusual if westerners including Britons or Americans were detained in the Kingdom in connection with illegal activities such as brewing alcohol.
"It is not surprising to see Britons, Americans or Europeans being held in connection with drugs cases or in cases involving the consumption or production of alcohol, or other criminal cases," the paper quoted the official as saying.
The Interior Ministry official was responding to an announcement by the British Foreign Office on Tuesday that five Britons had been arrested early last month on alcohol-related charges. The British Embassy in Riyadh has confirmed the arrests.
"Five Britons have been detained by the Saudi authorities. We understand it is related to alcohol offenses," an embassy spokeswoman said. "Our consular colleagues have seen three of the men and requests have been lodged to see the others," she added.
She said the three detainees told the embassy staff that they were being well treated. Asked if the arrests were related to the investigations into a series of car bombings that killed one Briton and injured six, including an Irish woman, in November and December, the spokeswoman said: "We cannot confirm that".
A Saudi newspaper said in December the attacks could be linked to illegal activities such as the distribution of alcohol, which is strictly banned in the Kingdom.
One Briton was killed and his wife was injured in the first attack in Riyadh in November. A few days later another bomb injured three Britons and an Irish woman. In December a fruit juice carton placed near the windscreen of a car injured another Briton, a Coca-Cola International employee in the eastern town of Alkhobar.
Saudi Arabia says it has detained several suspects in connection with the attacks. One is a US national. Authorities have also arrested a Belgian man and a Lebanese national, but it was not clear if their arrests were related to the bombings. No one has claimed responsibility for the bombings.
One of the five Britons had been arrested in October, before the bombings, and the others in December. They are being held in Riyadh. The five have not been charged, the spokeswoman said.
The Interior Ministry source said the public holiday for the Eid Al-Fitr at the end of December could be the reason why British diplomats could not see all the five detained Britons. "The Kingdom allows representatives of foreign embassies and consulates to meet their nationals detained for questioning in connection with various cases," the source said.
British and US embassies have reminded their citizens to be vigilant following the bombings which took place amid growing anti-US sentiments in the Arab world over what is seen as US support for Israel in the Middle East conflict.
