The Al-Haramain Islamic Foundation, which was blacklisted by the United States after the Sept. 11 attacks, said it took the decision in light of the unfolding international developments. It said the offices to be closed are located in some European, Asian and African countries.

Al-Haramain’s General Manager, Sheikh Aqeel Al-Aqeel, denied there was pressure from the US to close the offices but spoke of “indirect reasons.”

“The current situation necessitated a review of the organization’s geographical spread. There has been no pressure from the American authorities to close the offices in those places. There were some indirect reasons behind the closure,” Al-Aqeel was quoted as saying in a statement.

Al-Haramain raises almost $30 million a year in donations for charity work across the world.

Al-Aqeel did not say the decision was prompted by US criticism that Saudi Arabia had not done enough to curb terrorism including the suicide bombings in Riyadh on Monday night, which killed 34 people, including at least seven Americans.

The organization has repeatedly denied the US allegations that it had funded Al-Qaeda or other militant groups.

Al-Aqeel said the decision was taken after a series of meetings by the organization’s board of directors, some of which were chaired by Sheikh Saleh Al-Sheikh, minister of Islamic affairs, call and guidance, who is the supervisor of the organization.

Al-Haramain offices in Bosnia were repeatedly raided, with the American security bodies continuously expressing discontent over the organization’s activities. Al-Haramain has been listed as one of the charities against which claims for compensation have been filed by relatives of the victims of the Sept. 11 attacks.

The offices shut down included those in Croatia, Albania and Ethiopia while moves were under way to close others in Kenya, Tanzania, Indonesia and Pakistan. The group’s Somalia and Bosnia offices were shut last year in response to US demands.