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At Least 20 Die in Saudi Arabia Bombings

Tuesday, May 13, 2003
(4:30 PM ET)
By Adnan Malik
Associated Press Writer

The seven Americans killed lived in a four-story building that was heavily damaged. Seventy Americans employed by the Vinnell Corp., a Virginia company with a contract to train Saudi military and civilian officials, lived in the building. By chance, 50 were away on a training exercise.

U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell, center, center, visits the site of one of the suicide car bomb attacks in Riyadh, Tuesday, May 13, 2003, in this image made from television. Attackers shot their way into three housing compounds in synchronized strikes in the Saudi capital early Tuesday, and then set off multiple suicide car bombs killing at least 20 people, including 7 Americans, officials reported. Man at left in suit, is Robert Jordan, U.S. Ambassador to Saudi Arabia. Others are unidentfied.
Image Credit: The Associated Press

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia -- AP
Attackers shot their way into three housing compounds in synchronized strikes in the Saudi capital and then set off multiple suicide car bombs, killing 20 people, including seven Americans, officials reported Tuesday.

Authorities also found nine charred bodies believed to be those of the attackers, a Saudi Interior Ministry official said.

The bombings, which took place about 11:30 p.m. Monday, constituted one of the deadliest terror attacks on Americans since Sept. 11, 2001. Secretary of State Colin Powell said the coordinated strike had "the fingerprints of al-Qaida," the group that attacked the World Trade Center and the Pentagon.

"Terrorism strikes anywhere, everyone," Powell said. "It is a threat to the entire civilized world."

President Bush vowed to hunt down the attackers.

"These despicable acts were committed by killers whose only faith is hate, and the United States will find the killers, and they will learn the meaning of American justice," he said in Indianapolis.

In an address to his people, Crown Prince Abdullah, quoting from the Quran, said "hellfire" awaits the attackers.

"If those murderers believe that their bloody crimes will shake even one hair on the body of this nation and its unity, they are deceiving themselves. If they believe they will shake the security and stability of our country, they are dreaming," he said.
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2003 © The Associated Press.

I know this is being discussed below, but this is a new update and deserves a repost,
Dan