Saudi Arabia arrests 46 suspects over 2016 Medina attack
Reuters
April 30, 2017 22:43 MYT
April 30, 2017 22:43 MYT
Muslims walk outside the Al-Masjid al-Nabawi (The Mosque of the Prophet) before the early morning prayer of al-Fajr in the holy city of Medina January 16, 2014. REUTERS/Amr Abdallah Dalsh/File Photo
Saudi Arabia said on Sunday it had arrested 46 members of a militant cell responsible for a deadly suicide bombing attack on the Prophet's Mosque in the holy city of Medina last summer that was blamed on Islamic State.
The suspects, which included foreign and Saudi citizens, were detained in the Western port city of Jeddah, state news agency SPA quoted the interior ministry as saying.
Three suicide bombers and two members of the security forces were killed in the unprecedented attack on the mosque and tomb of Islam's prophet Mohammed that is one of the religion's holiest sites.
There was no claim of responsibility for the attack nor did the interior ministry statement blame a specific group.
Islamic State, based in Iraq and Syria, has carried out a series of bombings and shootings in Saudi Arabia since mid-2014 killing scores of people, mostly members of the Shi'ite Muslim minority and security services.
It has vowed to uproot Gulf monarchies it accuses of being in the thrall of the West.