Americans shot at in Saudi

2004-06-02 12:24

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia - Some Americans came under fire on Wednesday in Saudi Arabia by assailants in three vehicles, and one was injured, according to a Western diplomat.

The diplomat, speaking on condition of anonymity, had no further information, including where the attack took place.

However, his account came shortly after reports that gunmen had opened fire on a car carrying at least one American outside a compound on the southern outskirts of the capital, Riyadh, that is used by members of the US military.

"The car was coming out of the compound with three passengers when small arms fire opened up on the vehicle," Dow Jones Newswires quoted an unidentified Saudi security official, whom it said had spoken to residents of the compound, as saying.

The passengers weren't believed to have been injured, he was quoted as saying.

Dow Jones said it had separate confirmation that at least one American was in the car.

The attack took place at the Iskan compound, on the southern outskirts of Riyadh, where some US military advisers to the Saudi National Guard live, according to the Dow Jones report.

US embassy officials were in meetings and not immediately available for comment.

- AP