MP criticises 'unbelievable' king

King Abdullah made the comments on Monday

A Merseyside MP has hit back at criticism from King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia who claims Britain is not doing enough to combat terrorism.

John Pugh, MP for Southport, said the comments made are "unbelievable".

King Abdullah claims UK security services failed to act on early Saudi intelligence about the attacks in London in July 2005.

The Merseyside MP said: "The gall of the regime in taking Britain to task is absolutely breathtaking."

The Liberal Democrat, who fought for the release of British prisoners in Saudi Arabia, argued the regime has covered up its own internal terrorism problems by arresting Britons on false charges of blowing people up.

Dr Pugh was also on the Parliamentary accounts committee which tried to get a secret report released on the Al Yamanah arms deals between Saudi Arabia and Great Britain.

The 7 July bombings killed 52 people and injured more than 770 people.

In a BBC interview, King Abdullah said Britain failed to act on information passed by the Saudis which might have averted terrorist attacks.

BBC security correspondent Frank Gardner says Whitehall officials have strenuously denied this.

Speaking through an interpreter, the Saudi monarch said he believed most countries were not taking the issue seriously, "including, unfortunately, Great Britain".

"We have sent information to Great Britain before the terrorist attacks in Britain but unfortunately no action was taken. And it may have been able to maybe avert the tragedy."