Bombings won't derail peace drive, says US
Tuesday, 13 May 2003 22:47
The US has said the overnight suicide bombings in Saudi Arabia will not derail a fresh US push to forge an end to the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians.
The Saudi authorities have said the triple bombings in Riyadh killed at least 29 people - including nine bombers and seven Americans - and injured 194.
However, US State Department officials have warned the death toll could climb to 40 or 50.
Earlier, US Secretary of State Colin Powell visited one of the bombed housing compounds in Riyadh. Mr Powell vowed that those responsible would be hunted down.
Addressing an audience in Indianapolis, President Bush said the US would find those responsible and they would learn the meaning of American justice.
The Russian President, Vladimir Putin, said the Saudi Arabia bombings and the bombing in Chechnya over the weekend 'bore the same imprint'.
The Department of Foreign Affairs has said that at the moment there are no indications of any Irish casualties in the attacks. More than 2,000 Irish people work in the Gulf State.
- Morning Ireland: Excerpt from news conference held by US Secretary of State, Colin Powell
- Morning Ireland: John Bradley, Managing Editor of the Arab News newspaper based in Saudi Arabia, reports on the latest developments
- Morning Ireland: A second excerpt from Powell's press conference
- Morning Ireland: A representative of the al-Jazeera TV network discusses the situation
- Morning Ireland: Malachy Harkin, Irish eyewitness, comments on the blast
- Morning Ireland: Malachy Harkin continues his eyewitness account of the explosion
- News At One: John Bradley, Editor of the Saudi newspaper, 'Arab News', looks at what may be the last gasp for Al Qa'ida
- News At One: Brian Cowen, Minister for Foreign Affairs, reacts to the bombing, and looks at prospects for the Middle East peace 'road map'
- 1.00 News: Sinead Crowley reports on the attacks which occurred just ahead of a visit by US Secretary of State, Colin Powell
- 1.00 News: Dympna Moroney reports on the history of al Qaeda attacks
- 1.00 News: Clip of Malachy Harkin, an Irish eyewitness living in the compound, describing what he saw
