Saudi nabs blast suspects, U.S. warns of more attacks

Riyadh - Saudi Arabia said on Wednesday it had arrested five suspects in the deadly suicide bombings in Riyadh as the United States warned that more terror attacks in the kingdom may be imminent.

A Saudi source could not confirm reports in some Saudi newspapers that the five men arrested in the Muslim holy city of Medina on Tuesday were suspected members of al Qaeda, blamed for the September 11, 2001 attacks on the United States.

"Five people were arrested yesterday who are among the suspects in the Riyadh bombings and we believe that one of them is a main mastermind of the blasts," the source told Reuters without giving further details.

Saudi and U.S. officials blame Saudi-born Osama bin Laden's al Qaeda for the May 12 triple blasts on housing compounds in Riyadh which killed 34 people, including eight Americans.

The U.S. ambassador to Riyadh, Robert Jordan, said Washington believed there was still a threat of more attacks in the kingdom, the birthplace of Islam and a U.S. regional ally.

"We have concerns about further attacks. We are not convinced this threat is over or (that) it is in any way diminished from what we have seen," Jordan told reporters at the U.S. embassy in Riyadh.

"We don't believe that this is a one-time event. The threat level continues to be elevated this time," he added.

The United States reopened its diplomatic missions in Saudi Arabia on Sunday after a four-day closure prompted by warnings of more terror attacks. U.S. diplomats said the embassy was sending home around 30 non-essential staff as a precautionary measure.

The daily Okaz said five people had been arrested at an Internet cafe in Medina on Tuesday. It reported the alleged mastermind was a Saudi national who was among 19 men wanted by local authorities on terrorism charges following a shoot-out with security forces in Riyadh early this month.

Stung by U.S. charges of not doing enough to prevent the bombings, Saudi Arabia has boosted security to hunt down those responsible and to crack down on militancy to prevent further attacks.

A Riyadh-based Western diplomat said last Thursday that Saudi authorities had arrested four men on suspicion of belonging to al Qaeda.

U.S. intelligence agents are in Saudi Arabia, the world's biggest oil exporter, to assist Saudi authorities in the investigation into the bombings.

The U.S. embassy said the 60 agents would leave the kingdom by the end of the week and be replaced by a smaller team.

"The FBI team is likely to conclude the evidence gathering by the end of this week," Jordan said, adding that the second team would help review the evidence and conduct interrogations.

"The cooperation has been superb...We have received full cooperation from the Saudis," he added.

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal hinted on Tuesday of a possible link between the Riyadh blasts and bombings in Casablanca on May 16. -- Reuters

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