3 Pinoys arrested in Saudi for 'terror attack'

Three Filipinos have been arrested and jailed in Saudi Arabia as suspects in a car explosion that killed a German expatriate, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) reported yesterday.

However, DFA officials cannot identify the Filipinos because they are being held incommunicado.

Since the incident appears to be a terrorist attack, it would be difficult to get in touch with the three Filipinos, the officials added.

Quoting Philippine Embassy officials, the DFA said they will ask to be allowed to visit the Filipinos so they could be given legal and other assistance.

The Filipinos were said to be neighbors of Warrand Maxmilan Graf, the 56-year-old German who was killed when his Ford Mercury exploded last Sept. 29 .

News reports said the explosion occurred near the Libyan and Turkmenistan embassies along Abdul Hamid street in the upscale Sulaimaniya district in Riyadh.

The newspaper Saudi Gazette said the Filipinos were picked up two hours later inside Graf’s apartment where they were found working on personal computers.

On the other hand, the Arab News said security agencies were still investigating the explosion, which appeared to be related to a series of bombings in Riyadh that have targeted Westerners for the past two years.

The bombings were carried out by locals who are hostile to the West because of America’s perceived unconditional support for Israel in the war against the Palestinians, the Arab News added in an analysis.

Last year, a Filipino was jailed for alleged involvement in a car explosion that killed two Britons.