August 14, 2003	Thursday	Jumadi-us-Sani 15, 1424

LONDON, Aug 13: The British Airways suspended all flights to Saudi Arabia with immediate effect on Wednesday after Britain’s government warned it had received intelligence about a “serious threat” to air travel in the country.

The BA’s scheduled flights from Heathrow airport to Riyadh and Jeddah had been grounded following discussions with Britain’s Department for Transport, the airline said.

“There is credible intelligence of a serious threat to UK aviation interests in Saudi Arabia,” a Department for Transport spokesman told AFP, declining to go into detail.

“We advised them (BA) of this, but it was their decision to cancel the flights,” he said.

In Washington, a US official said suspected terrorists arrested by Saudi officials in a shootout this week were believed to have been plotting an attack against commercial aircraft at Riyadh’s main airport.

The British Airways normally operates four flights a week to both Riyadh and Jeddah.

“As a matter of precaution we have decided to suspend all flights to Saudi Arabia for the time being and we will continue to liaise closely with the British government,” said BA’s director of safety and security, Geoff Want.

In May, the British government advised its citizens against all non-essential travel to Saudi Arabia after three suicide bomb blasts left dozens dead in Riyadh, but it has not increased its warning since.

“We still advise against non-essential travel to Saudi Arabia, and this advice has been in place for some time,” a foreign office spokesman said following BA’s announcement.

On Tuesday seven Saudi militants were arrested in Riyadh after a shootout which killed one of their number and three security men.—AFP