A Kuwaiti man arrested for the killing of an American civilian has confessed to the shooting and said he "embraced the ideology of al-Qaeda", Kuwait's interior ministry has said.

The suspect, identified as 25-year-old Sami Mohammed al-Mutairi, admitted ambushing two Americans near the main United States army base in Kuwait, a ministry statement said.

This was the first attack on US civilians in Kuwait

A second American was seriously injured in the attack, which happened on Tuesday.

Mr Al-Mutairi was extradited to Kuwait on Thursday after fleeing to Saudi Arabia, security officials said.

The weapon used in the attack and some ammunition were found at Mr Al-Mutairi's workplace, an interior ministry statement said.

Mr Al-Mutairi was interrogated by state security officials, according to the statement, during which time he "confessed that he had adopted the ideology of al Qaeda".

The statement did not say where he worked, but security officials have described him as a civil servant.

Traffic light ambush

One official said the suspect was believed to have been working with one or two accomplices.

ATTACKS IN KUWAIT

21 Jan: Civilian US contractor killed, one wounded, in ambush on car near Camp Doha. 21 Nov: Two US soldiers wounded by policeman near Camp Doha. 14 Oct: Troops fired on from civilian vehicle near Kuwait City. No one hurt. 9 Oct: Civilian vehicle threatening US troops near Camp Doha is fired on. No one hurt. 8 Oct: US soldier killed, another wounded, by gunmen on Kuwaiti island. Attackers killed.

The official Saudi Press Agency said Mr Al-Mutairi was detained early on Wednesday near the border with Kuwait.

No group has claimed responsibility for the shooting.

"We don't want to prejudge things... but we believe such incidents would be within the capabilities of the Iraqi regime or al-Qaeda ideology," Information Minister Sheikh Ahmed al-Fahd al-Sabah was quoted as saying soon after the attack.

The two Americans had been working as contactors at Camp Doha, where the US is preparing for a possible war with Iraq.

Memorial service

The shooting happened as the men were inside their vehicle on Highway 85, north of Kuwait City.

The car had stopped at traffic lights when a gunman opened fire, spraying the car with bullets, police said.

The dead man, Michael Pouliot, 46, worked for a software company based in San Diego.

The other American, David Caraway, is in a stable condition in hospital with wounds in his shoulder and thigh.

Americans and Kuwaitis gathered for a memorial service at Camp Doha on Thursday to honour the slain man and pray for the recovery of Mr Caraway.

The service was closed to the public and the base is on a heightened state of alert, with US troops only allowed to go off base for critical business, a US official said.

Terror warning

Kuwaiti Prime Minister Sheikh Saad al-Abdullah al-Sabah has sent a letter of condolence to US President George W Bush, describing the attack as a "terrorist act".

The US embassy in Kuwait has warned Americans to be vigilant - this is the first attack on civilians, albeit ones who were working with the military.

There have been several attacks on US personnel in the oil-rich Gulf emirate in recent months, which have seen one soldier die and three others wounded.

While most Kuwaitis have welcomed the US troops, a minority in the country is deeply unhappy with the American presence.