Six westerners thought dead in Saudi attack
Six westerners are reported to have been among the casualties of a suicide attack today in a north-western city in Saudi Arabia.
Diplomats said the bomber and a second suspected terrorist were killed.
“Americans are among the victims,” a US Embassy official said, without providing further details on their condition.
A British person and an Ustralian are also believed to have been killed.
The Embassy official said the US consulate in the Red Sea port city of Jeddah was following up the issue with Saudi authorities.
The attack took place in Yanbu, along the Red Sea coast, 220 miles north-east of Jeddah.
The official said other Westerners also were thought to have been targeted in the attack.
Saudi police refused to comment.
The diplomats said one of the attackers detonated himself and the other was killed by police.
Witnesses said police set up checkpoints throughout the city.
One Yanbu resident said by telephone that there had been a suicide bombing in the city, and that police captured several people involved in the attack.
He said the attack killed “a few people,” and that he wasn’t sure of their nationalities. There were no immediate details on other casualties.
The resident said some of the Western workers involved in the oil industry in Yanbu were unable to reach their places of work because of the heavy police presence.
