RIYADH, May 8: The Saudi Interior Minister Prince Naif bin Abdulaziz said on Thursday the recent government announcement that a terror-cell had been uncovered was unrelated to next week’s visit by US Secretary of State Colin Powell.

Prince Naif also urged the 19 men wanted by the security agencies of Saudi Arabia to surrender when they could expect light punishment.

While talking to the Al-Riyadh daily, the Saudi interior minister also offered a reward of up to 300,000 Saudi Riyals ($80,000) for information leading to the capture of the 19 men, who are on the run after a shoot-out with security forces on Tuesday evening.

He said the foiled plot represented the biggest of its kind directed against Saudi Arabia. Saudi police said on Wednesday they were looking for 17 Saudis, one Yemeni and one Iraqi with Canadian and Kuwaiti passports to face terrorism charges.

It is generally believed that anti-American sentiment is running high after the US-led war on Iraq and because of US support for Israel.

Last week, a gunman, believed to be a Saudi in naval uniform, shot and wounded an American civilian working at a naval base in Saudi Arabia.