Blast Kills Briton In Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia confirmed that a British banker was killed in a car bomb explosion in the capital Riyadh on Thursday.

The official Saudi Press Agency quoted a police official as saying the victim, Simon John Veness, worked at Al Bank Al Saudi Al Fransi. Veness was alone.

The official said it was suspected that an explosive device was planted in his four-wheel drive vehicle. An investigation was under way.

The police chief said the explosion occurred at 8.54 a.m. local time, and there were no other casualties.

He said the victim was a bank employee.

There has been a series of similar blasts in the country.

Two bombings in Riyadh in late 2000 killed a Briton and injured four others. A Scottish man was injured in an explosion in Khobar in December 2000. In March 2001, a Briton and an Egyptian were injured in a bombing outside a large downtown Riyadh bookstore. In May 2001, an American was seriously injured in Khobar when the package he was opening exploded in his face.

Saudi officials said those blasts arose from disputes between gangs smuggling alcohol, which is forbidden in the kingdom under Islamic laws but is not difficult to obtain.