He added: "Our main concerns is to make sure our nationals avoid getting involved in any problems, especially families who fear for their lives."

He emphasized that " it is natural for us to protect our nationals in this deteriorating security situation in Lebanon and this is why we urged them not to come".

He said those who do not wish to follow our advise are free to make their own decisions.

Khoja pointed out that "what happened to the Saudi diplomat in Beirut and his family that were subjected to senseless shooting was to be expected in such turbulent circumstances," asserting that none had been harmed.

He was referring to Saudi diplomatic car that was hit by gunfire on Friday night in Beirut when the supporters of Speaker Nabih Berri celebrated before and after his interview with ANB TV , by firing missiles and rifles. 4 were injured and many reported property damage.

Lebanon's Interior Ministry on Monday urged Lebanese citizens to refrain from opening fire every time a political leader makes a TV appearance. A statement issued by the ministry stressed the need to avoid opening fire or toss grenades to celebrate a television interview given by a political leader.

Ambassador Khoja revealed that "the number of Saudi nationals residing permanently in Lebanon is more than three thousand, mostly university students, stressing the need for them to exercise caution in their movements."

In another interview with LBC TV Khoja revealed that the warning to its citizens to leave Lebanon immediately was based on threats received by the embassy in Beirut.

"We have received information on dozens of threats and these threats are continuing," Khoja said on LBC television late Sunday. He did not provide any additional details.

Lebanon's acting Foreign Minister Tarek Mitri told LBC earlier that the Saudi action was prompted by "specific threats" against the Kingdom. Mitri did not provide any specific details about the nature of the threats nor about the source of the threats.

Mitri did not criticize the Saudi Arabian decision, nor did he try to interpret their decision

"Some families have already abided by our travel advisory and already left " Khoja said

Several Saudi citizens in Lebanon have reported that they were contacted by their embassy, urging them to leave.

The embassy seems most concerned about families, women and children and these were advised to leave within 48 hours.

Khoja is one of the most active Arab diplomats in Lebanon and has been involved brokering an end to the political rift between the ruling majority and the Iranian and Syrian backed Hezbollah-led opposition,

But lately Saudi Arabia was subjected to attacks by members of the opposition. Nassir Qandil , a staunch pro -Syrian ally accused Saudi Arabia 2 weeks ago of "conspiring against Lebanon" and supporting an Israeli aggression.

Qandil made the charge in a statement to reporters after meeting vice president of the higher Shiite Islamic Council Sheikh Abdul Amir Qabalan.

"We believe that an American-Israeli war is behind the door and it would be a continuity of the July (2006) war … unfortunately the same countries that had planned, financed and executed the July aggression stand behind continuity of this war," Qandil said.

In addition Wiam Wahab another member of the pro-Syrian opposition and Qandil last week accused Saudi Arabia , the United States, Druze leader Walid Jumblatt and Israel of plotting to kill them.

The assassination in Damascus, Syria of top Hezbollah commander Imad Mughniyeh has added fears of a civil strife.

Lebanon has been without a president for over 3 months and rival politicians have not been able to agree on an election date . The date is now set for March 11, which is the 15th postponement . The Arab League chief has been mediating a solution to the Lebanon crisis but so far he has failed.

Tensions have also risen because the Arab summit due to be hosted in Syria March 29-30, has been linked to the election of a president for Lebanon . Saudi Arabian and Egyptian leaders said the summit is at risk if there is no Lebanese president elected before the summit.

Speaker Nabih Berri threatened during his interview last Friday to take new measures if the Damascus summit is canceled. This was interpreted by analysts as more riots , violence and tire burning by the opposition.

The Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal warned last month that the country was "on the verge of civil war."
The deployment of USS Cole guided-missile destroyer off the coast of Lebanon has also added to the tensions and triggered criticism by the Hezbollah-led opposition and the majority in Lebanon

"The Americans have tried to show their strength. We were not consulted and we will not explain their decision but we refuse to allow Lebanon to be an arena to solve regional differences," Mitri said.

MP Walid Jumblatt said : "The morale of the majority is very high, we do not need warships here"
Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Muallem on Saturday said the USS Cole deployment will delay the solution to Lebanon's presidential crisis

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