RIYADH, Feb 27: Defence firm BAE Systems said on Sunday it had raised its security level in Saudi Arabia after receiving intelligence of possible terror attacks.
But a Saudi official and a Western diplomat said they had no new information pointing to a planned strike by Al Qaeda supporters in the kingdom.
"We've raised our security status from amber to red," BAE spokesman Walid Abu Khalid said. "We got intelligence that there is a threat from terrorists." "This threat is not specific to BAE.
It's generic," he said. Saudi Arabia has been battling Al Qaeda militants since a triple suicide bombing in the capital Riyadh killed 35 people in May 2003. Attackers have targeted Westerners, Saudi security sites and a petrochemical complex in the wave of violence.
Interior Ministry security spokesman Brig-Gen Mansour Turki also said there was no indication of an imminent strike. "There is no information available which states there is a possible terror attack. The security situation is very good and under the control of security agencies."
Abu Khalid said BAE, one of the biggest employers of Westerners in Saudi Arabia, had sent a letter to employees on Saturday. "We sent out a company notice that there is still a threat in Saudi Arabia," he said. "But business continues".
He said BAE Systems was not telling employees to leave Saudi Arabia or cut their working hours. "We've made a commitment to our employees, to keep them up to date with the latest security intelligence". Europe's biggest defence equipment maker has been supplying fighter jets, bombers and other equipment to Saudi Arabia. -Reuters
