Intelligence chief's resignation accepted

Saudi Arabia accepted on Wednesday the resignation of the kingdom's intelligence chief Prince Nawaf Bin Abdul Aziz, state television reported.

The Custodian of the Two Holy mosques King Fahd Bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud issued a Royal Decree removing Prince Nawaf from his post "based on his request" and appointing him as an adviser at a ministerial level, the television said.

The decree did not say who would replace Prince Nawaf, who has been suffering from poor health, as head of the intelligence service of the kingdom, which has been battling a wave of Al Qaida linked violence for nearly two years.

Prince Nawaf had undergone surgery in 2002 after suffering a brain haemorrhage.

Prince Nawaf suffered a brain hemorrhage while attending an Arab summit in Beirut in March 2002, and was rushed to the American University Hospital.

He took over the post from Prince Turki Al Faisal shortly before the September 11, 2001, attacks, carried out mainly by Saudis.

Prince Turki, a senior member of the Saudi Royal family, had overseen the intelligence apparatus for 25 years.

Supporters of Saudi-born Al Qaida leader Osama Bin Laden have waged a 20-month campaign of violence in a bid to topple the the government and expel Westerners from the kingdom.

At least 170 people have been killed in the violence since May 2003.

Saudi authorities have killed or captured 20 men on a list of 26 most-wanted militants. Riyadh says it has seriously eroded the network's forces and capabilities.