RIYADH, 26 May 2003 — All Western embassies and consulates general in Saudi Arabia which closed on Wednesday for fear of fresh terrorist attacks have resumed normal business, spokesmen said yesterday.
The US Embassy and consulates, closed to the public since Wednesday after warning of credible information that terror attacks were “imminent,” reopened to the public yesterday, the US Embassy said.
The embassies and consulates of Britain, Canada and Germany, which were shut for the same reason, resumed normal business on Saturday, mission spokesmen told AFP.
“The (US) Embassy strongly advises American citizens in the Kingdom to use extreme caution and to remain vigilant,” the embassy said in a new message to US citizens resident in Saudi Arabia.
It added that “private Americans currently in Saudi Arabia should evaluate their own security situations, and should consider departing Saudi Arabia.”
Other Western embassies issued similar warnings. John Burgess, US Embassy counselor for public affairs, said the situation remains risky in the country and that non-emergency staff from the embassy and consulates have started to leave.
“The situation remains dangerous. Non-emergency staff from the embassy and consulates have started departing. About 50 to 60 employees would have left by the end of the week,” he told AFP.
Burgess said the number does not include the staff families. Non-emergency staff of the US Embassy and consulates and their families had been under “ordered departure,” a few days before the May 12 bombings in Riyadh.
A large number of Western nationals are believed to have already left Saudi Arabia or are preparing to leave following the triple car bombings that left at least 25 people and nine bombers dead and 194 others wounded.
