Militants threaten execution of kidnapped American

5.00pm

UPDATE - RIYADH - Al Qaeda guerrillas showed images of a blindfolded American hostage and said they would kill him if the Saudi government failed to free jailed militants within 72 hours.

"My name is Paul Marshal Johnson and I am a citizen of the United States," a slurred voice with an American accent said in a recording on an Islamist website on Tuesday. "I work for Apache helicopters."

The threat to kill Johnson, which follows a spate of suicide bombings and shootings in the past six weeks, raised the stakes in al Qaeda's war to topple the kingdom's pro-US monarchy and drive out Westerners from the world's largest oil exporter.

"If the tyrants in the Saudi government want to secure the release of the American hostage, they must release our mujahideen held hostage in its jails. They have 72 hours from today or else we will sacrifice him," said an al Qaeda statement carried on Sawt al Jihad website.

The statement, dated Tuesday, was signed by the Qaeda Organisation in the Arabian Peninsula. Sawt al Jihad has carried similar messages in the past.

On Saturday, al Qaeda said it was holding Johnson, a US engineer and the first Westerner to be kidnapped in a wave of militant attacks in the kingdom that began more than a year ago. It also claimed responsibility for killing American Kenneth Scroggs, who was shot dead as he parked his car at his villa.

Saudi government foreign affairs adviser Adel al-Jubeir told CNN that his government was looking into the situation and consulting the United States on what actions to take.

"And then we will make decisions on what the next steps are but our history has been one of not negotiating with terrorists," he said.

De facto Saudi ruler Crown Prince Abdullah said on Wednesday the kingdom would strike against al Qaeda soon.

"We have forces and until now they have not appeared but you will see them in the coming days," he said in remarks on Saudi media.

"We can only be patient for so long and from now on you will see things that will reassure you."

Concerns about security in Saudi Arabia had helped push world oil prices to record highs recently before oil producers said they would increase output.

A US State Department official said Washington will use every appropriate resource to gain Johnson's safe release in cooperation with the Saudi government.

"Saudi Arabian authorities can count on the United States to give them an assistance they request or need... The US government makes no concessions to individuals or groups holding our citizens," the State Department official said.

The leader of al Qaeda in Saudi Arabia, Abdul Aziz al-Muqrin, promised in earlier statements that 2004 would be "bloody and miserable" for the kingdom.

The US embassy in Riyadh declined to comment on the latest internet statement and images of Johnson, blindfolded and wearing an orange uniform, sitting in a chair.

Al Qaeda justified kidnapping Johnson, saying "the gunfire of Apache helicopters was killing Muslims in Afghanistan and Palestine".

"The blood of Muslims is being spilled all over the globe and by the will of God, the blood of this parasite will flow in the rivers of blood of Crusaders that will run this blessed year," the statement said.

"Muslims in the East and the West, we took a vow upon our selves to make you victorious and we will not fail. God has unleashed the mujahideen upon the Crusaders, and they love death as much as you (Westerners) love life," it added.

Saudi Arabia has so far remained silent on how it plans to protect Westerners and thwart further attacks.

Interior Minister Prince Nayef said on Wednesday security forces were capable and "these youths (militants) have been brainwashed and are tools in the hands of the enemies of Islam and the kingdom."

Saudi Arabia, the birthplace of Islam, has arrested and killed scores of militants in a crackdown on al Qaeda. Riyadh says the militants are now going after soft targets but analysts said the attacks appeared to be part of an organised campaign.

Saudi-born Osama bin Laden's group, blamed for the September 11, 2001, attacks on US cities, has vowed to destabilise Saudi Arabia and drive Westerners out of the "holy land".

In one of its biggest attacks, 22 civilians were killed when militants went on a May 29 shooting spree and took dozens of foreign hostages in the oil city of Khobar.

- REUTERS