The world was not doing enough to address the root causes of terrorism, Malaysia said today in the wake of a deadly attack on the US consulate in the Saudi Arabian port of Jeddah.

"We are seeing a proliferation of terrorist activities in unexpected areas, places with high levels of security," Foreign Minister Syed Hamid Albar said.

"This shows that the terrorist groups have yet to be defeated and international terrorism post-September 11 is still a threat to several countries," he was quoted as saying by the official Bernama news agency.

The continued attacks by terrorist groups showed that there was still anger and dissatisfaction on the unresolved issues of Afghanistan, Iraq and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Syed Hamid said.

US consulate stormed

Gunmen stormed the US consulate in Jeddah on Monday, triggering a three-hour siege and a shootout that left five staff and four attackers dead.

The brazen attack was the first of its kind on a diplomatic mission in Saudi Arabia but the latest in a series of bombings and shootings blamed on al-Qaeda in the oil-rich desert kingdom since May 2003. The attacks have often targeted foreigners.

Syed Hamid said it was crucial to address the reasons why the terrorist groups could not be eliminated and why some people continued to support them.

"These attacks will continue for as long as issues are still outstanding and justice cannot be given or decided on to satisfy the hearts of those who have been oppressed."

The use of military might or force would not be able to solve the problem, he warned. "The questions of equality, justice and poverty need to be addressed."