March 29, 2003	Saturday	Muharram 25, 1424

ABIDJAN, March 28: Saudi Arabia’s ambassador to Ivory Coast, Mohamed Ahmed Rachid, was found dead on Friday in suspicious circumstances in Abidjan, but Riyadh said he died of natural causes.

Rachid’s body was found on Friday morning on the 15th floor of the stairwell in the building in the Plateau district, where he lived on the 17th floor, the sources said.

The corridor from his apartment and the stairs were stained with blood.

The circumstances of his death were not clear.

The Ivorian government said in a statement that it “vigorously condemned this barbaric act” and expressed its “condolences to Saudi authorities and to the family” of the deceased.

“It is with deep consternation and shock that the government has learnt of the death of his excellency, the ambassador of Saudi Arabia to Ivory Coast,” it said.

The government statement clearly hinted that Mr Rachid was murdered, saying: “Every time that Ivory Coast is in a state of belligerence, the enemies of our country commit odious crimes.”

The ambassador had come to Ivory Coast, which has been split into half since a rebel war in September, from India, where he had been Saudi consul-general until December.

He had been invited to dinner at the home of the Algerian ambassador on Thursday but cancelled the engagement at the last minute.

Saudi Arabia confirmed the death but denied reports from Abidjan he was murdered.

“According to initial information by authorities in Abidjan ... no sign of violence could be found on the victim’s body, which makes one think Mohammed bin Ahmed al-Rashid died of natural causes,” said a foreign ministry spokesman, quoted by the official Saudi Press Agency.

SPA said it appeared Rashid died from an internal hemorrhage but that authorities in Riyadh were waiting a full report.

Rachid’s driver was the one to alert the building’s concierge. He had gone in the morning to pick up the car keys and found the corridor in front of the ambassador’s flat bathed in blood.

Several Ivorian officials including Prime Minister Seydou Diarra, Foreign Minister Mamadou Bamba and Security Minister Fofana Zemogo visited the block of flats.

One resident of the building was in shock.

“It’s getting very difficult living here. Imagine, with so much security and yet something like this happens in the building,” Anil Gangadharan said.

The street where the building lies is cordoned off for security reasons since it is also the location of the US embassy. —AFP