al-Qaeda serious threat in Saudi Arabia: US

After at least three foreigners were killed in the past week, the US administration is increasingly worried about events in Saudi Arabia, Rice and other top officials have indicated.

President George W Bush's security advisor highlighted the threat from the group led by Osama bin Laden, the Saudi-born militant. She linked al-Qaeda to attacks in Saudi Arabia going back to a suicide car bomb in Riyadh on May 12.

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"There is no doubt that this is an area in which al-Qaeda is trying to make a mark. And we've known this for some time," Rice told CNN television.

"We're working very, very well with the Saudi government, with the Saudi security forces to try and to deal with this al-Qaeda threat. But yes, it is a serious threat.

"The Saudi government is aware that it's a serious threat. We're working very well together through both intelligence and law enforcement channels to try to deal with it."

Rice said the Saudi government has actively cooperated in the fight against terrorism, in intelligence gathering and cutting off financing, since the May 12 attack.

Reuters adds: Secretary of State Colin Powell on Sunday said the killing of foreigners in Saudi Arabia was a direct attack on the Saudi regime, and Washington would do all it could to help the kingdom defeat terrorism.

"Clearly this is a dangerous time for Saudi Arabia and we're working with them ... in every way we can to defeat these terrorists," Powell told NBC's "Meet the Press."