Saudi King criticises UK on terror

Updated 20.54 Mon Oct 29 2007

Keywords: terrorism, Saudi Arabia, Britain

King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia has claimed Britain failed to act on information which might have averted the London bombings on July 7, 2005.

Ahead of a visit to Britain, he said his country warned the UK about a threat, but nothing was done about it.

King Abdullah has accused the UK of not doing enough to fight international terrorism

King Abdullah has also accused the UK of not doing enough to fight international terrorism.

The King is in Britain for a state visit already mired in controversy.

Liberal Democrat leader Vince Cable announced on Sunday that he would be boycotting the visit - which begins formally on Tuesday - in protest at the corruption scandal over the infamous Al Yamamah arms deal.

And a mass demonstration is planned outside the Saudi embassy in London later in the week in protest at the kingdom's human rights record.

Last year Tony Blair halted a long-running Serious Fraud Office inquiry into the £40 billion deal signed by Margaret Thatcher in the 1980s.

Mr Blair argued Saudi security co-operation in the fight against international terrorism could be jeopardised if the investigation continued.

But critics claimed he was more concerned Britain could lose out on a fresh £20 billion contract to supply the Saudis with 72 Eurofighters.

A Foreign Office spokeswoman said the decision to invite King Abdullah now reflected the "long-standing friendship" between the two nations.

She said that British and Saudi interests were "intertwined and inseparable" across a range of issues from counter-terrorism to ensuring stability in the Middle East.