3 Frenchmen killed in Saudi attack

Riyadh: Three Frenchmen were killed on Monday and at least one other was injured when they came under fire while travelling in the Saudi Arabian desert north of Madinah, a spokesman for the Interior Ministry said.

Major General Mansour Al Turki said the group of French travellers were resting on the side of a road when gunmen fired at their car, instantly killing two of the men.

The third man died later after he was taken to a hospital, and the four Frenchman was in serious condition at an area hospital, Al Turki said.

The group included four men, three women and a child, the ministry said. A security source said the attackers had singled out the men.

A ministry statement said the attack took place near the town of Tabuk and a nearby historical site, Madain Saleh, in the northwest of the country.

Ancient site

The group was travelling in an area mainly restricted to Muslims because the road where the attack occurred leads to Madinah. Al Turki said the French group was probably Muslim pilgrims.

But it was possible they were travelling to another ancient site north of Madinah where the Saudi government recently started allowing non-Muslims to visit.

In France, President Jacques Chirac condemned "this odious act" and expressed his condolences to the victims' families, his office said in a statement.

Saudi authorities were investigating the attack, Al Turki said. "Undoubtedly this is a criminal act, but it's too early to determine their motives and whether it is terrorism," he said.

French Foreign Minister Philippe Douste-Blazy said the French ambassador to Saudi Arabia and counsul general plan to visit the site of the attack and discuss the circumstances of the incident with Saudi authorities.