Saturday, February 25 2006 10:25 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Paris: The Saudi branch of the Al-Qaeda terror network has claimed responsibility, in a website message, for a foiled attempt to blow up a major Saudi Arabian oil processing plant.

"The heroic Mujahedeen of the squadron of Sheikh Osama bin Laden, god protect him, have successfully penetrated the oil and gas refinery in the town of Abqaiq. Where two car bombs were able to enter," the 'Organisation of Al-Qaeda in the Arab Peninsula' wrote on its website.

Saudi Arabia said yesterday it had foiled an attack against its major oil processing plant, the first known attempt against an installation in the world's top oil producer since a wave of Al-Qaeda terror broke out.

The OPEC kingpin rushed to reassure markets that output was unaffected by the thwarted attack on the world's largest oil-producing center in the oil-rich Eastern Province which left at least four people dead.

A security official told sources that two security men and at least two assailants were killed in the attempted suicide car bomb attack on the complex.

The security men succumbed to serious wounds sustained while trying to stop the attackers.

It was still not known if there were more than two people in the two cars which attempted to penetrate the processing plant, the official said.

The vehicles "Exploded near the entrance and damage was limited to a small fire which was brought under control. Production operations were not affected," an interior ministry statement said.

The official told sources that six workers of state oil giant Saudi Aramco 'sustained slight wounds from shrapnel'.