Travel Warning

["Gerry Blackwood" <gpblackwood@justice.com>]

17 Dec 2003



Travel Warning

United States Department of State

Bureau of Consular Affairs

Washington, DC 20520



This information is current as of today, Thu Dec 18

00:58:48 2003. 



Saudi Arabia

December 17, 2003



This Travel Warning is being issued to alert Americans

to the fact that, due to security concerns, the

Department of State has authorized the departure of

family members and non-emergency employees of the U.S.

Embassy and Consulates on a voluntary basis. Private

American citizens should evaluate their own security

situations and should consider departing the country.

This Travel Warning supersedes that of December 8,

2003. 



The Department of State warns U.S. citizens to defer

travel to Saudi Arabia. Americans are reminded of the

potential for further terrorist actions against U.S.

citizens abroad, including in the Persian Gulf region.

U.S. citizens who travel to, or remain in, Saudi Arabia

despite this Travel Warning should register at the

Consular Section of the U.S. Embassy in Riyadh or at

the Consulates in Jeddah and Dhahran, and enroll in the

warden system (emergency alert network) to obtain

updated information on travel and security in Saudi

Arabia.



Due to ongoing security concerns, on December 17, 2003,

the Department of State authorized the departure, on a

voluntary basis, of family members and non-emergency

personnel of the U.S. Embassy and Consulates in Saudi

Arabia. U.S. consular personnel remain available to

provide emergency services to American citizens.



The U.S. Government continues to receive indications of

terrorist threats aimed at American and Western

interests, including the targeting of transportation

and civil aviation. American citizens in Saudi Arabia

should remain vigilant, particularly in public places

associated with the Western community.



Terrorists have attacked residential housing compounds

in the Riyadh area in 2003. Credible information

indicates that terrorists continue to target

residential compounds in Saudi Arabia, particularly in

the Riyadh area, but also compounds throughout the

country.



>From time to time, the U.S. Embassy and Consulates in

Saudi Arabia may restrict the travel of official

Americans or suspend public services for security

reasons. In those instances, the Embassy and Consulates

will keep the local American citizen community apprised

through the Warden System and make every effort to

provide emergency services to U.S. citizens. The U.S.

Mission in Saudi Arabia continues to restrict the

travel of its American employees and their dependents

to residential compounds in the Riyadh area to between

the hours of 6:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. Restrictions on

travel to other destinations have been lifted in

conjunction with the Department’s approval of voluntary

departure status. Warden messages can be found on the

US Embassy Riyadh website:

http://usembassy.state.gov/riyadh/.



As the Department continues to develop information on

any potential security threats to U.S. citizens

overseas, it shares credible threat information through

its Consular Information Program documents, available

on the Internet at http://travel.state.gov.

U.S. travelers can also get up-to-date information on

security conditions by calling 1-888-407-4747 in the

U.S. or Canada or on a regular toll line at

1-317-472-2328. 



U.S. citizens should also consult the Department of

State's Consular Information Sheet for Saudi Arabia,

the Worldwide Caution Public Announcement, and Middle

East and North Africa Public Announcement at

http://travel.state.gov.



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