AN Iranian-American man who US officials say has links to Iran’s security forces pleaded not guilty in court last night to plotting to kill the Saudi ambassador to Washington in a bomb attack.

IRAN’S President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has dismissed US accusations that Iranian government agents plotted to kill the Saudi ambassador in the United States.

Iran’s President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has dismissed US accusations that Iranian government agents plotted to kill the Saudi ambassador in the United States.

OIL dropped for a second day in New York as US equities declined on a decrease in JPMorgan Chase & Co’s earnings and crude supplies increased more than forecast.

THE United States warned yesterday it would hold Tehran accountable after foiling an alleged high-level Iranian plot to kill Saudi Arabia’s ambassador to Washington.

The US has accused Iranian government agents of plotting to assassinate the Saudi ambassador, immediately using the thwarted plot to step up sanctions and recruit international allies in a bid to further isolate Tehran.

Muslim countries sounded out by Saudi Arabia about sending troops to Iraq are insisting on a big reduction in US and other coalition troops in any agreement.

THE al-Qaida group responsible for abducting and killing an American engineer say they were aided by sympathisers in the Saudi security forces — a claim denied by Saudi authorities.

The al-Qaida group that beheaded an American engineer said sympathisers in the Saudi security forces provided police uniforms and cars used during the victim’s kidnapping, according to an Islamic extremist website.

The al-Qaida cell that kidnapped and killed American Paul M. Johnson Jr. claimed today that sympathisers in the kingdom’s security forces supplied it with police uniforms and vehicles and set up fake checkpoints to facilitate last week’s abduction.

Police in armoured vehicles and a helicopter closed off three Riyadh neighbourhoods in a pre-dawn search today for more Islamic extremists and for the body of the American hostage beheaded by al-Qaida.

Time was running out tonight for an American hostage facing death in Saudi Arabia.

SECURITY forces were desperately hunting yesterday for a US hostage facing death within hours at the hands of terrorists in Saudi Arabia.

Security forces were desperately hunting today for an American hostage facing death within hours at the hands of terrorists in Saudi Arabia.

SAUDI Arabia has denied accusations in Bob Woodward’s latest book that it made a secret agreement with the White House to lower petrol prices before elections.

Saudi Arabia has denied accusations in Bob Woodward’s latest book that it made a secret agreement with the White House to take steps to lower petrol prices before the November elections.

The United States reopened its diplomatic missions in Saudi Arabia today, a week after they closed because of terrorist threats.