U.S. warns of possible plot to kidnap Westerners in Saudi Arabia

She said the U.S. embassy in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday it had received information that he was likely to be a terrorist group planning to kidnap Westerners in the capital Riyadh and urged American citizens to exercise caution.
The embassy said in a letter published on its Web site "takes the U.S. Embassy in Riyadh U.S. citizens in Saudi Arabia that we have received information indicating that it is likely that a terrorist group in Saudi Arabia is planning to kidnap Westerners in Riyadh."


The message said "the U.S. embassy in Riyadh reminds all U.S. citizens to exercise caution and to increase security awareness at all times."


Letter did not provide further details on the information received by the embassy advised Americans to take normal security measures including changing the ways in which the agitating movement and the reduction from appearing.


The source said a U.S. diplomat told Reuters in Dubai that the warning was based on "strong knowledge" but the embassy has no plans to reduce work hours or travel any of their employees or their families.


An official from the Saudi Interior Ministry called him, told Reuters he was unaware of the threat that prompted the U.S. embassy to issue the warning.


In Washington, explained a spokeswoman for the U.S. Department of State Heidi Fulton embassy issued a statement that "specifically about the threat of a new kidnapping of Westerners in Riyadh," but declined to give further details.


She Fulton says in an emailed statement, "We do not comment on specific intelligence information because it threatens to undermine the operations of the intelligence is vital to protect the United States and our allies."


Al Qaeda launched a series of attacks in Saudi Arabia in 2003 subsided in 2006, but the government fears that al Qaeda may use their base in Yemen to resume attacks.


The government fears that Iran's progress on raising discontent among the Shiite minority to undermine the stability of the kingdom.


The former head of Saudi intelligence said on Monday that Saudi Arabia is confident that its security forces, numbering 35 thousand man can protect its oil installations, which he called the growing threat of a terrorist attack in the region.


And Prince Turki al-Faisal told an audience in Madrid said the wave of unrest that is sweeping the Arab world and provided a fertile ground for terrorist groups, but the kingdom itself is still "a stable and secure