Nine Americans among terror suspects arrested by Saudis

Special to WorldTribune.com

Nine Americans were among a group of 33 terrorism suspects detained by Saudi Arabia over the past week.

Four Americans were arrested on Jan. 25 and five others over the past four days, the Saudi Gazette newspaper reported on Jan. 31.

Two people were killed and seven othrs injured in an attack against a Shiite mosque in Saudi eastern province on Jan. 29. /Xinhua/AFP
Four people were killed in an attack on a Shi’ite mosque in Saudi Eastern Province on Jan. 29. /Xinhua/AFP

Also arrested were 14 Saudis, three Yemenis, two Syrians, an Indonesian, a Filipino, an Emirati, a Kazakhstan national and a Palestinian, the Gazette said.

The report did say if any of the “terror suspects” was linked to Islamic State of Iraq and Levant (ISIL), which has claimed responsibility for several deadly attacks against Saudi security forces and Shi’ites in recent months.

On Jan. 29, four people were killed when a terrorist blew himself up at a Shi’ite mosque in Eastern Province. Worshipers at the mosque were able to disarm and detain an accomplice who had opened fire on them.

The interior ministry said on Jan. 31 that Saudi forces also were searching for nine suspects said to be involved in an August suicide bombing that targeted a mosque inside a police headquarters that killed 15 people.

Saudi Arabia has offered rewards between one million riyals ($276,000) and seven million riyals ($1.87 million) for anyone who helps in the arrest of a suspect or thwarts an attack.

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