Bomb attacks targeting foreigner's residential compounds in the capital of Saudi Arabia Monday night had "all the earmarks of al-Qaeda," US Secretary of State Colin Powell said in Amman on Tuesday.
Speaking at a press conference, Powell said "It's just part of al-Qaeda and other terrorist organizations' willingness to kill innocent people in order to push forward a criminal agenda."
A terrorist agenda that very often had no purpose, had no meaning other than to strike out in rage, he said.
"I condemn the terrorist attacks that took place in Saudi Arabia overnight, I condemn the cowardly individuals who sneaked in the middle of the night to kill innocent civilians," Powell said.
"Once again it reminds us that terrorism is a global phenomenon...that the United States will not be deterred from pursing the interests of peace around the world," Powell said.
Powell said he did not know if the attacks were linked to the Arab-Israeli conflict.
The bomb explosions killed at least three people and wounded 50 more others in Riyadh, reports reaching here said.
Powell is in a Middle East tour which will also take him to Saudi Arabia.
(Xinhua News Agency May 13, 2003)
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