US reopens some Saudi missions after attack

RIYADH - The United States reopened its embassy in the Saudi capital Riyadh on Wednesday but its consulate in Jeddah remained closed two days after it was attacked by al Qaeda militants, a spokesman said.

"The embassy in Riyadh and the consulate in Dhahran have been reopened, but the consulate in Jeddah remains closed," said Robert Keith, an embassy spokesman.

He did not say when the Jeddah consulate would reopen. All three missions were closed after Monday's assault, which was the first on a Western mission in the kingdom by militants bent on driving Westerners from the cradle of Islam.

Four of the attackers died in strike and a fifth was wounded and arrested. Five non-American consulate staff also died.

Al Qaeda's Saudi wing claimed the consulate strike, which was codenamed "the blessed Fallujah attack" after the city where US-led forces launched an offensive against insurgents including supporters al Qaeda ally Abu Musab al-Zarqawi.

- REUTERS