Saudi forces praised over attack

Saudi forces were sent in after the consulate came under attack

The US ambassador to Saudi Arabia has praised the country's forces for their handling of Monday's attack on the US consulate in Jeddah.

James Oberwetter acknowledged, however, that security would need to be improved in future.

He also gave more details about the incident, saying gunmen attempted to follow a vehicle into the compound.

Five non-US consular staff and four militants were killed when the attackers started a fire fight.

The Saudi branch of al-Qaeda says it carried out the assault.

Saudi Arabia said four of the five assailants were Saudis, naming three of them as Fayez bin Awad al-Juhaini, Eid bin Dakhil Allah al-Juhaini and Hassan bin Hamid al-Hazimi.

Mr Oberwetter thanked Saudi forces for "freeing the compound".

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But he added: "The events of yesterday show the need for improvement. We will examine what additional steps need to be taken."

He repeated a warning to US citizens not to stay in, or travel to, Saudi Arabia because of the threat of attack.

Mr Oberwetter said on Tuesday that the attackers "clearly understood how cars entered the compound and they were conducting surveillance".

Mr Oberwetter said "a single car in the far lane slowly followed a consular car and attempted to enter the compound", but was blocked by an automatic barrier.

The militants got out and "began to engage local Saudi staff in a great firefight at the front gate, and were able to access the compound", he said.

MAIN SAUDI ATTACKS Nov 1995: Seven killed in blast near US facility in Riyadh June 1996: Bomb kills 19 US soldiers at Khobar complex May 2003: Bombers target Riyadh compounds, killing 35 Nov 2003: Suicide bomb kills 17 at Riyadh housing complex April 2004: Bomber kills five in Riyadh government building May 2004: Seven die in attack on US firm in Yanbu May 2004: Attack on oil firm compound in Khobar kills 30 Timeline: Saudi violence

During the three-hour battle, five consulate employees - one Yemeni, a Sudanese, a Filipino, a Pakistani and a Sri Lankan - were killed.

Four staff were injured, including two Americans.

The ambassador said the consulate was still closed, but would re-open in a few days.

The Saudi cabinet condemned the attack and reaffirmed its pledge to "fight terrorism in all its aspects".

A series of bombings and attacks began in 2003, mainly targeting buildings that house foreigners.

US President George W Bush said the latest attack showed "terrorists are still on the move", trying to force the US to withdraw from Saudi Arabia and Iraq.

"They want us to grow timid and weary in the face of their willingness to kill randomly," he said.