French interior minister Brice Hortefeux says Saudi Arabia has issued an official warning about a possible al-Qaeda-led terrorist attack across Europe, and against France in particular, the BBC World Service reported.

According to the report, Saudi Arabia warned that France was the target of "an imminent al-Qaeda attack", Hortefeux said.

The "imminent" attack on "France in particular", would come from al-Qaeda operatives in the Arabian Peninsula and militants training in Pakistan, reports said.

France is already on a state of high alert following warnings of possible attacks aimed at France, Germany and the UK.

Last week, Bulgarian President Georgi Purvanov refused to answer if there was an imminent danger of radical Islam or terrorism in Bulgaria.

Speaking at the Black Sea resort of Albena, Purvanov said that regarding such matters, "the appropriate authorities should comment".

According to Purvanov, it was vital that there be no room for radicalism of any sort in the country, while at the same time, people should refrain from generating "artificial and needless tension" because there are many who are "very sensitive on the matter".

"This topic should be approached very carefully. There are parties in Bulgaria who consciously provoke tension, searching for swift political dividends," Purvanov said.

Meanwhile, the French interior minister said that the warning of an impending attack had come in the past "few days" and that the government was on full alert.

The prospect of a potential plot threatening France, the UK and Germany emerged last month, connected to al-Qaeda. This involved European militants training in Pakistan who were preparing to mount a Mumbai-style attack on the three countries, the BBC said.

Earlier this month, French anti-terrorist police arrested 11 people in several parts of France in swoops on suspected Islamic extremists.