The expatriate community in Riyadh is again experiencing the horror of past bombings, after news of the unfortunate death of Simon Veness.

We feel vulnerable. We in the British community here need help to deal with the situation

We had been lulled into a false sense of security, because it had been quiet for a long time.

But as we woke to the news on Friday morning, we watched the international news stations for information and telephoned as many of our fellow expats as possible.

The compound where Simon Veness lived is well-known.

I have been there several times in the past two weeks. I've even visited the Veness family, which increases the shock I am feeling.

Feeling vulnerable

The compound in question is one of the few where residents have to park their cars outside the security fence.

Previous bombings

May 2001 - An American is seriously injured by a bomb in Khobar March 2001 - A Briton and an Egyptian are injured by a bomb outside a Riyadh book shop December 2000 - A Scottish man is injured by a blast in Khobar November 2000 - Two bombs in Riyadh kill a British man and injure four other Britons

This makes it easy to plant a bomb under a car, and we believe this is the second time this has happened at the compound.

Many of the British and American expats in the kingdom live in very secure compounds and are very well cared for, especially those connected with the military.

The remainder of us feel much more vulnerable.

We in the British community here need help to deal with the situation.

We believe that both of the British people killed by bombs in the past two years had no connection with the alcohol trade in spite of what the Saudi authorities have claimed.

We are in very little doubt about who is responsible for all of these attacks.

It is most likely Islamic extremists probably linked with the al-Qaeda network.

Relations with Saudis

We now have to be very vigilant when we go out, even to a supermarket.

It is necessary to check underneath our cars every time we drive off.

We are not afraid of the Saudi people as a whole.

Relations with the Saudis we work with every day are amicable.

After the first bombing incidents, I was approached by strangers who wanted to reassure me that Saudis in general did not wish us harm.

But there is an underlying fear. The person who planted the bomb may work in my office.