Saudi Arabia warns foreigners of attacks

RIYADH, Mar 7 (Reuters) Saudi authorities have warned foreign embassies that a group blamed for last month's killing of four French nationals could strike again, diplomats today.

''Saudi authorities officially notified us yesterday that the group could attack again and urged foreigners to avoid travelling outside cities,'' a Western diplomat said.

Interior ministry spokesman Mansour Turki could not provide immediate comment.

Some French residents in Riyadh said they received text messages on Tuesday from their embassy informing them of the Saudi warning.

''We have reacted immediately by informing our nationals of the warning which urged foreigners in general to be cautious and to call police as soon as they notice that they are being monitored,'' French embassy spokesman Alain Guepratte said.

Saudi Arabia said yesterday it had arrested some suspects in the killing of the four French nationals and gave 24 hours to two Saudi nationals to turn themselves in.

Abdallah Sayer al-Mohammadi and Nasser bin-Latif al-Balawi have not abided by the ultimatum which expired at 0500 GMT today, Mansour Turki said.

The ministry offered (7 million riyals) US 1.9 million dollars for information leading to the arrest of the two men whose pictures were published on front pages of local newspapers.

The four French nationals, including a teenager, were killed on Feb. 26 during a desert trip in the Arab country. No one has claimed responsibility for the attack.

Saudi authorities said two attackers perpetrated the killing which was the first attack on foreigners since 2005.

Saudi Arabia has vowed to crack down on Islamic militants and condemned the attack.

Islamic militants swearing allegiance to al Qaeda launched a violent campaign to topple the US-allied Saudi monarchy in 2003, carrying out suicide bomb attacks on foreigners and government installations, including the oil industry.

Some of the estimated 100,000 Western residents in Saudi Arabia left after the earlier attacks, reducing the number to around 60,000, but many have since returned, diplomats said.

Militant Islamists have said they want to drive ''infidel'' Westerners out of Saudi Arabia, the birthplace of Islam and home to its holiest sites.

Tough security measures and a powerful publicity campaign helped crush the violence but analysts and diplomats have said the underlying drives of radical Islamic ideology and anger at Western policy in the region remain strong.

Reuters PA RS1518