Dubai: A Saudi Arabian company has offered lifetime salary to the next of kin of its seven Indian employees gunned down by al-Qaeda terrorists, who stormed an expatriate housing complex in the kingdom's oil hub of al-Khobar last weekend.

Chairman of the Saad Group, Maan Al-Sanea, told the Indian Ambassador Kamaluddin Ahmad that his company considered the Indians as still being on its payrolls.

The Eastern Province Governor, Prince Muhammad ibn Fahd, also promised to Ahmad that the Government would do all it can to help quickly clear the formalities so that the bodies of the Indians could be repatriated home by today or tomorrow.

The body of Lawrence Monice, the man who died in the crossfire, is being taken home by his wife who has already arrived to collect it, Ahmad was quoted as saying by the 'Arab News' daily.

Governor Fahd also offered his condolences to the bereaved Indian families and vowed that the Saudi Government would ensure the security of all residents.

Three al-Qaeda terrorists had carried out twin attacks in al-Khobar last weekend, killing 22 people, including eight Indians.