After a respite that lasted for some time during which there was no more talk about terrorists in Saudi Arabia, terrorist plots in the kingdom came to the forefront Sunday when the Interior Ministry announced it dismantled two suspected terrorist cells which were planning attacks against Saudi police forces and civilians as well as against western targets in the kingdom.
Saudi authorities said they have arrested eight suspects, two Saudis and six Yemenis, who were all part of a group linked to al Qaeda. The purported leader of the group is a Saudi national.
According to the Saudi official news agency “SPA”, the suspects have reportedly prepared and tested explosives that were seized during the arrest operation.
Authorities also searched several locations and seized bomb making equipment, documents, cell phones and cash, SPA reported.
The eight suspects were connected to Al Qaeda network and were working on “recruiting elements to carry out criminal attacks targeting security forces, citizens and foreign residents, as well as public facilities,” the interior ministry security spokesman told “SPA”.
“It has become clear that they have reached an advanced stage in the quest to achieve their goals, including the preparation and equipping of explosives to be tested outside the city of Riyadh,” SPA said quoting the spokesman.
During the tests conducted by the suspects, one of them had his fingers burnt and amputated, the spokesman said.
The Spokesman said that security forces have arrested a citizen heading this cell who gave detailed information about its members, plans and equipment that have been prepared and identities used in their communication with “the deviant organization,” a phrase commonly used by Saudi Arabia when talking about al-Qaida.
The investigation lasted several months and uncovered a second cell in the city of Jeddah. A member of that cell, a Saudi accused of working on the preparation and testing of chemical explosives, was also arrested, SPA said, adding that other individuals will be summoned for interrogation.
The last terrorist attack in Saudi Arabia dates back to August 2009 when a suicide bomber detonated his explosives near assistant defense minister Prince Mohammed bin Nayef who had been slightly injured in the attack
Saudi authorities instigated a large scale cracking down operation on Islamic militants since al-Qaida launched a wave of attacks in the country in 2003. Following the crackdown, Saudi militants fled to neighboring Yemen, where Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula is very active.
Are terrorists bustling again in Saudi Arabia?
