More Terror attacks coming

[jbooma]

US closes embasy in Saudi Arabi do to the fear of another attack. The US government also might raise the threat level because of a future attack that might be coming soon here in the US. Six other countries have been warned of attacks as well. The government believes one of the cells living in Saudi Arabia is in route to the US.

http://www.cnn.com/2003/WORLD/meast/05/20/saudi.new.attacks/index.html

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (CNN) -- The U.S. State Department on Tuesday announced it was closing its embassy in Riyadh and consulates in Jeddah and Dhahran because of threats of "imminent" terrorist strikes.

"The embassy continues to receive credible information that further terrorist attacks are being planned against unspecified targets in Saudi Arabia," said a statement on the embassy's Web site.

The embassy and consulates were to close on Wednesday, the statement said, and remain closed at least through the weekend.

Word of the closing came as Saudi Arabia's terrorism threat level was at its highest ever in the wake of multiple suicide bombings in Riyadh that killed 25 people and nine bombers, Saudi intelligence sources said.

The suspected al Qaeda attackers, who struck May 12 with triple car bombings on mostly expatriate housing, were planning a much bigger operation, Prince Bandar bin Sultan, Saudi ambassador to the United States, said Monday. It is believed that some of those who carried out the bombings survived and fled, and that the suspected planners of the attacks are believed to still be in Saudi Arabia.

Speaking to reporters in Riyadh Monday, the prince referred to electronic "chatter," or signals from various sources that intelligence officials listen to regularly.

The chatter strongly suggests that something -- it is not clear what -- might be in the works, analysts said.

Four people believed to be linked to al Qaeda have been detained in connection with the Riyadh attacks, said Saudi Interior Minister Prince Naif bin Abdulaziz, adding that each had prior knowledge of the bombings. (Full story)

During the past few days, various officials in Riyadh, including the U.S. ambassador, have said al Qaeda operatives or other groups in the kingdom might be preparing to strike again.

As U.S. officials continue to assess the threat against possible U.S. targets, some counterterrorism officials support the idea of raising the nation's terrorism threat level from yellow, or elevated, to orange, or high.

Both the FBI and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security said in publications last week that the attacks against Saudi compounds housing mainly Westerners have the "traditional hallmarks" of al Qaeda operations, such as hitting several targets and being precisely timed.

FBI assisting Saudi investigation

A team of FBI, CIA and State Department agents and experts is in Saudi Arabia assisting in the investigation. U.S. officials said they are getting good cooperation from the Saudis -- despite comments from the Saudi interior minister saying the agents could only monitor, not investigate.

Government officials said the team is focused on gathering forensic evidence from the attack scenes. U.S. and Saudi officials were trying to determine whether the Saudis or the Americans will test evidence.

U.S. officials would like to test evidence in an American laboratory, but said they are willing to leave evidence in Saudi Arabia if experts there can ensure it is preserved for possible use in later court actions.

European warning

Meanwhile, European ministers were warning that dormant Islamic terrorist cells could strike at any time. (Full story)

The FBI issued a bulletin to state and local law enforcement last week, in which it said the U.S. intelligence community believes attacks against U.S. and Western targets overseas are likely. Attacks on U.S. soil, it said, cannot be ruled out.

In the bulletin, the FBI said the bombings in Saudi Arabia indicate al Qaeda "remains active and highly capable" -- something Director Robert Mueller said last week after the attacks.