JEDDAH, 2 March 2007 — Saudi authorities have not ruled out that Waleed Al-Radadi, one of the Kingdom’s most wanted criminals, was involved in Monday’s shooting that left four French nationals dead, the daily Al-Watan reported yesterday. A source told the newspaper that authorities are looking for a green 1998 Nissan four-wheel drive that was used in the shooting.

Al-Radadi’s name appeared on a list of most-wanted terrorism suspects released by the Interior Ministry in 2005, and is believed to be from the city of Madinah. The shooting took place on the Madinah-Tabuk highway near the Madain Saleh historical site. Authorities also said the gunmen used two or three Kalashnikov machineguns to kill the French expatriates.

The newspaper reported that foreign companies operating in the Kingdom have increased their level of security, especially those operating in the region where the killings took place.

Foreign missions in the Kingdom have issued updated warnings following the attacks.

The British Embassy conducted an emergency drill yesterday and issued a text message informing expatriates that the operation was simply an exercise. It is unclear if the drill occurred because of the killings or whether it was a routine operation.

The US Embassy has reiterated its standing Warden’s Message to its citizens not to congregate in groups and to take different routes in daily transit routines. The French Embassy advised its nationals not to come to the Kingdom at all for the time being.

In an interview in the French daily Le Parisien, the 79-year-old mother of one of the victims of the attack, Jean Marc, 47, said she is incensed at what happened to her son. “I can’t even cry because I am so angry,” she said. “In fact I am enraged.”

The mother, Jizeel, told the French newspaper that her son would often hell her that Saudi Arabia is safer than France.

The French daily Le Monde questioned whether there should be a rush to conclude that Monday’s attack was a terrorist act, or whether it was a basic criminal act, such as a hate crime or a robbery gone wrong.

Reports that the attackers asked about the nationality of the group of nine French nationals before opening fire implies that this was an attack specifically targeting foreigners.