'Ten Killed' in Riyadh Explosion

A suspected car bomb today exploded in the Saudi capital, Riyadh, the Dubai-based al-Arabiya satellite television station has reported.

According to reports from the Reuters news agency, witnesses said that at least ten people had been killed in the blast.

Loud explosions were heard coming from an area in which a number of government buildings are situated, and Reuters reporters said they saw ambulances rushing to the blast scene amid billowing smoke.

The explosions appeared to come from the vicinity of the general security building, which is affiliated to the interior ministry, in the al-Nassiriyah neighbourhood in central Riyadh.

Witnesses said that the explosions, which happened at around 2pm local time (1200 BST), shattered windows and damaged walls in surrounding buildings. Security forces evacuated the area.

Tensions over possible terror attacks in Riyadh have been high recently. Today's blasts came just days after Saudi authorities announced that they had seized three booby-trapped sports utility vehicles loaded with more than four tonnes of explosives.

The vehicles had apparently been abandoned by militants involved in a gun battle with security forces.

The US last week ordered the departure of non-essential US government employees and family members from Saudi Arabia.

It also urged private citizens to leave the kingdom, with the US embassy in Riyadh issuing an advisory warning of "credible indications of terrorist threats aimed at American and western interests in Saudi Arabia".

Last year, the Saudi capital suffered two major attacks by suicide bombers driving vehicles loaded with explosives. A total of 51 people, including the bombers, were killed in the May and November attacks.

The Saudi authorities vigorously pursued terrorists and Islamist extremists after the bombings, arresting hundreds of people. The attacks were blamed on Osama bin Laden's al-Qaida network.