Riyadh: Saudi Arabia's Ambassador to America on May 20 predicted possible terror attacks in either his country or the United States.

"There is chatter, a high level of chatter regionally and in other international spots", that something could happen in Saudi Arabia or the United States, Prince Bandar bin Sultan told reporters in the Saudi capital, Riyadh.

Prince Bandar said Saudi authorities had obtained information during recent months that Osama bin Laden's al-Qaida organisation, blamed for the May 12 attacks in Riyadh that killed 34 people, had been wrecked by divisions.

He said Saudi officials believed that al-Qaida leaders didn't want to risk carrying out any attacks in Saudi Arabia, which is bin Laden's birthplace, in order to maintain their intellectual base within the Gulf kingdom.

"(But) they have mended their differences and decided to come out," Prince Bandar said.

Prince Bandar was called home over the weekend on a mission related to the war on terrorism, Saudi foreign policy adviser al-Jubeir told a US television station on May 19.

The Ambassador is known for handling some of his country's most delicate diplomatic tasks and for his close relations with the US administration.

However, he told reporters on May 20 there was nothing secret about his mission to Saudi Arabia.

Agencies