Saudi State Security arrests IS-linked terror cell in Riyadh

CAIRO – 6 October 2017: The Saudi Presidency of State Security arrested an Islamic State-affiliated cell in Riyadh, which planned to launch two suicide attacks on facilities related to the Defense Ministry, according to an official statement on Thursday.

The security apparatus stormed three locations linked to the targeted terror cell in the Saudi capital, which were used by the militants to plot their attacks. The statement said one of these places, in the eastern Riyadh district of al-Rimal, included a small factory used to manufacture bombs. A suicide bomber was hiding in the factory and detonated his vest after security forces surrounded the place.

Another militant was killed and five others were arrested in raids on the other two locations on Wednesday, an official source in the Presidency of State Security said in a statement on state-run television.

Over the last few years, deadly bombings and shootings have been mounted by Islamic State (IS) militants against security forces and Shiite Muslims in Saudi Arabia.