SA T-shirts an anti-terror move

2004-06-01 22:19

Jackie Pienaar

Cape Town - South Africans in Saudi Arabia have been advised to wear a T-shirt commemorating 10 years of democracy and to prominently display South African flags to avoid being the targets of terrorist attacks.

This request from the South African embassy in Riyad comes after a South African died and another two were wounded in a hostage drama at the weekend.

The attackers were allegedly members of al-Queda. A total of 22 foreigners died in the attack.

The South African embassy in Riyad reportedly gave South Africans in this country T-shirts and flags with the order to display them prominently.

Meanwhile, a South African who has been living in Saudi Arabia for more than six years, sent Die Burger an e-mail expressing her unhappiness that she has not received any warning in all this time from the South African embassy.

'Well-disposed towards South Africans'

The woman, who asked to remain anonymous, said it was in sharp contrast to the warnings her husband and friends have been getting from the embassies of other countries, such as Britain.

She added that the South African embassy handed out stickers with the South African flag during the Iraqi war.

"We were told to stick them on our handbags or garments so that they could see we were from South Africa.

"The Saudis are apparently well-disposed towards the South Africans. Other embassies warned their people to rather go home."

An employee at the Oasis office and residential complex in Khobar, where the hostage drama took place, claims three attackers were released after they threatened to kill more Westerners.

The Times reports the Saudi government went into an agreement with the attackers, who also warned they would blow up themselves as well as their hostages.

A fourth attacker was wounded and apprehended.

- Die Burger