"Faris, an Ohio-based truck driver originally from Kashmir, admitted plotting to sever the cables supporting the Brooklyn Bridge in New York and to derail trains in New York or Washington."
US Embassy Riyadh issues warden alert
United States Department of State
WARDEN MESSAGE
June 13, 2004
The recent terrorist attacks on Westerners in Riyadh appear to have involved extensive planning and preparation and were likely preceded by extensive pre-attack surveillance. Often, this pre-attack surveillance can be detected.
Be aware of your surroundings. Take note of vehicles or individuals that do not appear to belong in the area and immediately report them to authorities.
Vary your times and routes to and from destinations. Whenever possible, do not have a set day for shopping, errands and personal needs. Be unpredictable in your work and social schedules. Unpredictable targets are hard targets.
Avoid areas frequented by Westerners and avoid establishments at times when Westerners constitute the majority of the patrons.
Maintain a low personal profile by avoiding actions that may draw attention to yourself.
Keep your colleagues and family aware of your daily plans and ensure that they know how to reach you.
In traffic, always try to leave space in which to maneuver. Do not get boxed in; always leave yourself an exit. When stopped in traffic, think about what you would do if an incident occurred. Be prepared to take evasive action at any time.
Be wary of detours.
If you are being followed or harassed by another driver, drive to the nearest police station, hotel, or other public facility and summon the police. Never leave your vehicle to confront a harasser.
To the extent possible, do not schedule regular meetings at either the start or end of the day. Arrival and departure times from home to office can become unacceptably predictable if employees must schedule their commute around regularly scheduled meetings.
Check the interior and exterior of your vehicle prior to getting into your vehicle? Are there items in on or around your vehicle that are suspicious? If so, do not touch your vehicle, leave the area immediately and notify the authorities.
American citizens requiring assistance from the Embassy or its Consulates in Dhahran or Jeddah may contact a consular official during normal working hours, Saturday through Wednesday, 8:00 am to 5:00 pm, at the following numbers:
American Embassy Riyadh
01-488-3800, Extensions 4315, 4591
American Consulate Dhahran
03-330-3200, Extensions 3085, 3120
American Consulate Jeddah
02-667-0080, Extensions 4610, 4445
During nonworking hours, a duty officer is available and can be reached by dialing the Embassy or Consulate telephone number listed above and following the recorded instructions.
The U.S. Mission to Saudi Arabia refers American citizens to the current Department of State Travel Warning for Saudi Arabia dated April 15, 2004 and issued as Warden Message #9/2004. In addition, on May 1, the Mission disseminated revised Public Announcements - Worldwide Caution - and - Middle East and North Africa - as Warden Messages and . These documents are available on the Embassy’s home page at and on Department of State, Bureau of Consular Affairs website at http://travel.state.gov.
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. In addition to information on the Internet, travelers may obtain up-to-date information on security conditions by calling 1-888-407-4747 toll-free in the U.S. or outside the U.S. and Canada on a regular toll line at 1-317-472-2328.
American citizens already registered with the Embassy in Riyadh or the Consulates in Jeddah or Dhahran are reminded to update their registration information regularly with an estimated date of departure. See http://riyadh.usembassy.gov/wwwhcn6.html for registration information.