Perry in Saudi Arabia to visit bomb site<\/p>\n
By Christine Hauser<\/p>\n
DHAHRAN, Saudi Arabia (Reuter): U.S. Defense Secretary William
\nPerry arrived in Saudi Arabia yesterday to stress the U.S.
\ncommitment to remain in the kingdom during talks with officials
\non a bombing that killed 19 American servicemen.<\/p>\n
Perry and Saudi officials were also to discuss tighter
\nsecurity measures for the 5,000 U.S. military personnel serving
\nin the kingdom.<\/p>\n
Perry attended a closed briefing with U.S. FBI officials
\nshortly after arriving.<\/p>\n
Earlier he told reporters aboard his plane that he would
\nstress the U.S. commitment to remain in Saudi Arabia in talks
\nwith Crown Prince Abdullah and Defense Minister Prince Sultan. He
\nsaid he might also meet King Fahd.<\/p>\n
He will visit the bomb site in al-Khobar close to Dhahran.
\nHe said investigators suspected Tuesday's blast at a military
\nresidential complex could be linked to a similar attack last
\nNovember that killed five Americans and two Indians at a U.S.-run
\nmilitary training center in Riyadh.<\/p>\n
\"We are pursuing that lead,\" Perry said. \"We are centering on
\nthe possibility that it is the same group that did the November
\nbombing, but it is by no means limited to that.\"<\/p>\n
He cautioned that the investigation was in its early stages.
\nSaudi Arabia in May beheaded four Saudi men who confessed on
\nstate television they were behind last year's blast and that they
\nwere influenced by Islamic groups and Saudi dissidents. They said
\nthey had been planning more attacks.<\/p>\n
The Saudi English-language Arab News daily said yesterday
\nSaudi and U.S. investigators had found the crank shaft and
\nchassis of the truck that blew up at the complex, also injuring
\nnearly 400 people.<\/p>\n
\"...Officials said the chassis contained a serial number that
\ncould help track down the truck's origin,\" it said.<\/p>\n
U.S. Air Force spokesman Major James Stratford confirmed the
\nreport but would not give further information. Saudi officials
\nwere not immediately available to comment.<\/p>\n
Arab News quoted Saudi officials as saying authorities had
\nreceived \"a good description of the two men who parked the truck
\noutside the housing compound. They have also identified the
\ngetaway car as a white Chevrolet Caprice\".<\/p>\n
\"The Interior Ministry is expected to issue identikits of the
\nsuspected bombers shortly,\" it added.<\/p>\n
U.S. and Saudi officials have said two men parked the truck
\nthat exploded outside the complex and then fled in a white car.<\/p>\n
FBI and other U.S. investigators are helping Saudi police and
\nintelligence officials looking into the attack.<\/p>\n
Both the United States and Saudi Arabia have stressed that the
\ntwo attacks have no effect on their close military and political
\nalliance although new security measures were under review
\nthroughout the Gulf.<\/p>\n
U.S. servicemen in Saudi are mainly air force personnel who
\nconduct surveillance flights to enforce a United Nations ban on
\nIraqi flights and troop movements in the southern part of Iraq.<\/p>\n
Another 4,000 serve in neighboring Kuwait, Bahrain and the
\nUnited Arab Emirates. The total U.S. strength in the region is
\nabout 20,000.<\/p>\n
On Friday, servicemen at the bombed out apartment complex
\nscrambled to safety after a caller threatened another explosion.
\nIt turned out to be a hoax.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/perry-in-saudi-arabia-to-visit-bomb-site-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}