Saudi Arabia has announced a series of measures to stop money going to terrorists, including tighter controls on charities and attempts to prevent money laundering through its banks.

It's 'let's bash the Saudis time' - we are guilty before we say anything

Adel al-Jubeir

The move follows growing criticism in the United States that the Saudi authorities were not doing enough to tackle terrorism.

Saudi foreign affairs adviser Adel al-Jubeir, on a visit to Washington, described the relations between the Saudi and US governments as excellent.

But he complained of an anti-Saudi mood bordering on hate in America in the wake of the 11 September attacks. Fifteen of the 19 suicide hijackers were Saudis.

Al-Jubeir complained about the anti-Saudi mood in the US

"It's 'let's bash the Saudis time'. We are guilty before we say anything. We are guilty as charged."

"We have been unfairly maligned."

The BBC's Jon Leyne in Washington says both governments appear determined to preserve their strategically vital partnership.

But our correspondent says there are some bitter critics of the relationship in both countries.

'No links'

"We've pursued terrorists relentlessly and punished them harshly," Mr al-Jubeir said, presenting the nine-page report on the new measures at the Saudi Embassy in Washington.

The report said three al-Qaeda cells had been broken up, and 33 accounts with more than $5.5m in them had been frozen.

Most of the 11 September hijackers were Saudi

It said that more than 2,000 terror suspects had been questioned, and more than 100 were being held in detention.

Mr al-Jubeir spoke a week after reports in the US media that charitable payments from the wife of the Saudi ambassador in Washington, Princess Haifa al-Faisal, might have reached some of the hijackers.

But the Saudi official stressed that in all the investigations "we have not found a direct link between charity groups and terrorism".

He said that every dollar leaving the Saudi territory could now be traced, as all charities were to be audited.

Bin Laden 'laughing'

Mr al-Jubeir praised US President George W Bush for his compassion, concern and sensitivity shown towards Muslims.

But he added that al-Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden almost succeeded in dividing Saudi Arabia and the US by using so many Saudi hijackers in the 11 September attacks.

"We believe al-Qaeda chose Saudis to give the operation a Saudi face and drive a wedge between the two countries."

"And the irony of it is, those who are most critical or hostile toward Saudi Arabia in the United States are playing right into his [Bin Laden's] hands.

"Bin Laden, if he's dead, is laughing at them from his grave."