3 US missions in Saudi Arabia reopen
(AP)
Updated: 2005-08-11 09:19

The United States reopened its three diplomatic missions in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday but warned Americans there to stay vigilant, and the British Embassy lowered its terror alert for the kingdom, reported AP.

A warden's message posted on the U.S. Embassy Web site asked citizens to review the State Department's May 17 travel warning urging Americans to defer nonessential travel to Saudi Arabia because of the possibility of terrorist attacks.

"We continue to reevaluate the security situation," U.S. Embassy deputy spokesman Andrew Mitchell said.

On Sunday, the U.S. Embassy had said it would be closed Monday and Tuesday, together with the consulates in Jiddah and Dhahran, because of "a threat against U.S. government buildings in the kingdom."

A security vehicle is stationed at the entrance of diplomatic quarters in Riyadh August 8, 2005. [Reuters]

Subsequently, the British and Australian governments warned their citizens that terrorists were planning attacks in Saudi Arabia, with London saying preparations for a strike were in the final stages.

On Wednesday, the British Embassy in Riyadh removed the warning of an imminent attack from its Web site. But the site said there was a "continuing high threat of terrorism in Saudi Arabia."

The Saudi Interior Ministry has said it had no information that a terror attack was imminent.

Sunday's U.S. Embassy warning was the second in two weeks. On July 25, the embassy warned Americans that militants were likely plotting new attacks in the kingdom.

Since May 2003, al-Qaida-linked militants have carried out suicide bombings, including attacks on Western housing compounds, and have been involved in attacks on Westerners, kidnappings and gunbattles with police.

In December, five militants shot their way into the U.S. consulate in Jiddah, killing five non-American employees. Four of the attackers were killed.

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