[size=4 ]Saudi Suicide Bomb Kills 10 [/size]
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(CNN) -- At least 10 people have been killed and 130 wounded in a suicide bombing outside the Saudi General Security Building in the capital, Riyadh, hospital sources say.
Witnesses said the bomber was blown apart by the blast, which caused severe damage to the building.
The Saudi Interior Ministry said the bomber attempted to drive his explosive-packed car into the Traffic Department at the building, which houses police offices, at around 2 p.m. local time.
He was stopped by officers about 30 meters from the building, and set off the explosion there, the ministry said.
Television pictures from the scene showed the entire front of the five-story building had been shattered. Burned-out and damaged cars littered the area.
At the time of the blast, the building was filled with workers, but there was no official word from the Saudi government on the number of casualties.
A senior Interior Ministry official said that authorities, tipped off that six explosions had been planned, had found and defused five of the bombs.
Khaled Al Maeena, editor-in-chief of the English-language Arab News, told CNN's American Morning that windows were blown out of houses a half mile from Al-Washim Street in the al-Nassiriyah neighborhood, where the explosion was centered.
Around 50 families were evacuated from their homes and apartments in the area near the blast site.
The area is also near the Saudi Information Ministry and the headquarters for the security forces who guard the Saudi royal family.
Truck bombs defused
On Tuesday, Saudi security forces defused two truck bombs outside Riyadh, a security source said, bringing the number of car bombs seized in the kingdom to five within a week.
Burned-out and damaged cars littered the area after Wednesday's blast.
The vehicles were discovered late Monday at Shuaib Juraidal in Rumhiyah village, 56 miles (90 kilometers) east of Riyadh.
After the two vehicles were found, security forces and helicopters searched the area for armed men, who fled the area in a Jeep, residents told Arab News.
On Sunday, an Interior Ministry official announced the arrest of eight suspects linked to recent deadly clashes with security forces and car bombs. (Full story)
The Saudi Press Agency quoted the official giving details of three seized vehicles packed with thousands of pounds of explosives, including one vehicle authorities had been searching for since February.
Saudi police set up several checkpoints in Riyadh.
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One of the safest Cities you could ever live in has turned into a warzone over the past year! :down:
May Allah Bless the Victims and their families.