The article, front paged in "Al-Riyadh", was published the day after 600 relatives of victims of the 11 September attacks on America launched a big lawsuit against people, banks and Muslim charity organisations they accuse of helping finance the al-Qa’eda network, including three members of the Saudi royal family.

Although the paper does not refer to this, but it does mention a recent Rand Corporation briefing for the Defence Department in which oil-rich Saudi Arabia was described as being "the kernel" of animosity and hating of the United States and accused it of being a supporter of Islamic terrorism.

The Administration immediately reacted, explaining that the analysis did not represent Washington’s official policy concerning Saudi Arabia

"We must question those who think that America is our strategic option that cannot be substituted. Those will put us in a narrow space, and their [belief] is not supported by objective justification", the Al-Riyadh said in an editorial.

In recent months, American media, usually silent about Saudi Arabia, its autocratic rulers, its constant violation of human rights, its medieval political system, published a series of article describing the Kingdom as a supporter, if not the incubator of Islamist terrorism.

The criticism was echoed at Both the Congress and the Senate, with some lawmakers questioning whether Washington should continue its special relationship with Riyadh?

What have angered the Americans is Saudi rulers refusing to assist American in its planned war against Iraq, diplomats and political analysts noted.

Prince Saud went to Tehran early this month and voiced his regime’s opposition to American attack on Iraq, as did his Iranian hosts.

Before that, a high-ranking Iraqi official had visited Riyadh where he had talks with Crown Prince Amir Abdollah.

One of those, which did carry the story, "Okaz", branded the lawsuit as "the largest operation of blackmail plotted by secret hands".

The lawsuit alleged that Saudi money has "for years been funnelled to encourage radical anti-Americanism as well as to fund the al-Qa’eda terrorists".

Those named include Saudi anti western militant Osama Ben Laden, suspected to have masterminded the 11 September operations, and several members of his family.

Fifteen of the 19 alleged hijackers on 11 September were Saudis.

Saudi Arabia has denied any involvement and repeatedly has said its relations with the US remained strong and leading Bush administration officials have said publicly that ties with Saudi Arabia were excellent.

The lawsuit also comes just days after Saudi Arabia ruled out handing over to the US 16 alleged al-Qa’eda fighters extradited from Iran.

The 259-page lawsuit alleged that members of the Saudi royal family were implicated in the September 11 attacks.

The lawsuit alleged that Saudi money has "for years been funnelled to encourage radical anti-Americanism as well as to fund the al Qaeda terrorists".

Vowing to avenge the murder of their loved ones, relatives of about 900 people killed in the September 11 attacks filed a lawsuit on Thursday against three Saudi princes, several foreign banks and Sudan's government for allegedly funding al Qa’eda network.

"The terrorists were wrong, but the people who aided and abetted and allowed them to do this are more wrong", said Matthew Sellitto, a plaintiff in the lawsuit, whose 23-year-old son died in the World Trade Center in New York on 11 September.

In a civil lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court in Washington, relatives of hundreds killed in the attacks and some survivors accused seven international banks operating mainly in the Middle East, eight Islamic foundations and charities, the government of Sudan and a number of individuals of helping fund terrorist activities.

This civil action seeks to hold those responsible for a more subtle and insidious form of terrorism, that which attempts to hide behind the face of legitimacy", the lawsuit said. "These entities, cloaked in a thin veil of legitimacy, were and are the true enablers of terrorism".

The banks named in the suit were: Al Baraka Investment and Development Corp., National Commercial Bank, Faisal Islamic Bank, Al Rajhi Banking and Investment, Al Barakaat Exchange LLC, Dar Al Maal Al Islami and Al Shamal Islamic Bank.

Charitable groups named included: the International Islamic Relief Organization, Sanabel Al Kheer Inc., Muslim World League, Saar Foundation, Rabita Trust, Al-Haramain Islamic Foundation, Benevolence International Foundation and the World Assembly of Muslim Youth. ENDS US SAUDI 17802