Saudis warn of new terror threat in Europe

He said the warning of a potential attack by al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula was received "in the last few hours, few days."

European officials were informed that "al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula was doubtless active or envisioned being active" on the "European continent, notably France," Hortefeux said during a joint TV and radio interview.

The warning from Saudi Arabia is the latest in a series of alerts that have put French security forces and others in high-vigilance mode.

On Sept 9, Interpol, the international police organization, signaled an "Islamist threat on a world scale, and notably on the European continent," Hortefeux said without elaborating. That was followed by a Sept 16, report of a woman suicide bomber who could take action in France - later judged not fully credible.

Intelligence sources in North Africa also contacted France about a potential threat as did the United States, he said. He said he had spoken at length with US Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano; Kazinform cites China Daily.

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