Saudi arrests 46 militant suspects involved in Medina attack

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.

Read more: Suicide attacks in three Saudi cities including Medina, four dead

There was no claim of responsibility for the attack nor did the interior ministry statement blame a specific group.

ISIL, 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.
Also read: Saudi names Qatif, Medina bombers; suspects arrested