Jeddah US consulate suicide bomber was a Pakistani: Saudi ministry

The suicide bomber who blew himself up near the United States consulate in Jeddah yesterday, has been identified as a Pakistani citizen.

The Saudi Interior Ministry said on Tuesday that 35-year-old Abdullah Gulzar Khan, who worked as a driver in the kingdom, was a Pakistani citizen who had been living with his wife and her parents in Jeddah for 12 years.

On Monday, security officers became suspicious of a man near the parking lot of Dr Suleiman Faqeeh Hospital in Jeddah, which is directly across from the US diplomatic mission.

When the officers moved in to investigate he blew himself up with a suicide belt inside the hospital parking, reports the Dawn.

Two security officers were lightly injured in the incident.

Interior ministry spokesman General Mansour al-Turki had told a news channel that the bomber was closer to a mosque in the area than to the consulate, implying the mosque could have been targeted.

Meanwhile, Pakistan Army Chief Gen Raheel Sharif on Tuesday called Saudi Defence Minister Prince Muhammad bin Salman over the phone to condem the terrorist attacks in Saudi Arabia and show solidarity.