Terror suspects arrested
September 2, 2014
Saudi Arabia has arrested 88 men on suspicion of being part of an al Qaeda group that was plotting "terrorist attacks," both inside and outside the country, Al Arabiya televison reported on Tuesday.
According to an Interior Ministry spokesman, Mansour al-Turki, some of the men had previously served prison sentences for similar offences.
The ministry said the suspects had been monitored for months before their arrest and "were on the verge of carrying out operations." Fifty-nine of those arrested had been detained previously, it added.
Saudi police said one of the men has not yet been identified, three are Yemeni nationals and the rest are Saudis.
In light of advances by the extremist group "Islamic State" (IS) in Iraq and Syria, Saudi Arabia said it has decided to take harsher measures against sympathizers who could threaten the kingdom's stability.
ksb/hc (AP, Reuters)