Group vows revenge after Saudi shoot-out -- Web

DUBAI, June 25 (Reuters) A previously unknown group has vowed vengeance against the Saudi government for the killing of six Saudi militants in a shoot-out in Riyadh the day before, according to an Internet posting.

''We warn the Saudi government and those who help it in its war against Islam ... that what is coming will be spectacular, so beware, tyrants of the Saudi family,'' the statement posted on a Web site usually used by Islamic militant groups yesterday said.

The authenticity of the statement by the group calling itself Basha'er (Good Tidings) could not be verified.

On Friday, Saudi police killed six militants in a three-hour clash which began after they surrounded a house to prevent what they said were planned attacks by the militants. One militant was wounded and arrested.

''They (Saudi royal government) killed our brothers ... and instead of allowing the light of jihad (holy struggle) to shine, this infidel government tries to put it out,'' the statement said.

It gave details about some of the six men, whose names were published earlier by the Saudi Interior Ministry.

It said one of the six, Sami al-Mutairi, had been arrested by Saudi security forces after meeting slain al Qaeda in Iraq leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi in Iraq but then managed to escape.

Saudi Arabia said that Friday's shoot-out was part of an operation to break a militant cell that has netted 42 suspects since last month, including 13 who were seized today near the border with Iraq.

REUTERS VJ BST0442