BUDAPEST, April 13: Hungarian police on Tuesday claimed foiled an assassination attempt by Arab nationals against visiting Israeli President Moshe Katsav. "The local police have told our delegation (travelling with Katsav) that the president was the target," a spokeswoman in Katsav's office said.

The police had informed the Israeli delegation that three people had been arrested, describing them as "terrorists", the spokeswoman added. "This is the only information we have at the moment, but the visit will go ahead as planned," she said.

Three people of Arab origin have been arrested in connection with the plot, independent radio station Inforadio reported, quoting intelligence sources. Hungarian police had learned of a planned terror attack during Katzav's visit, national police spokesman Lajos Nemeth said.

"Police in Budapest took measures based on the suspicion of a terrorist attack," Mr Nemeth said, adding "house searches, interrogations, detentions are underway." "Police told me no explosives or weapons were found," Erzsebet Schillinger, spokeswoman for Hungarian President Ferenc Madl, said. Inforadio said the programme for Mr Katsav, who arrived on Tuesday on an official three-day visit, had to be changed four times for security reasons. -AFP