Saudi police uncover IS-linked terrorist network; arrest 17

Fourteen of those arrested are Saudi nationals, including one woman, ministry spokesman Mansour al-Turki told state television news channel Ekhbariya, which broadcast photographs of the accused.

“The activities of this network went beyond the kingdom’s borders to provide technical and media support for Daesh”, said Turki, using an Arabic acronym for the Iraq and Syria-based Islamist militant group.

Al-Turki says the network was involved in preparing suicide vests, improvised explosives and providing logistics, funding, arms and transportation for terrorist operations inside the kingdom.

They also targeted security students whom they planned to bomb with a remote-controlled device at a gate.

Saudi security forces also seized a large number of sticky bombs, suicide vests, automatic rifles, firearms silencers, ammunition and 600,000 Saudi Riyals (about $160,000 USD), according to the government statement.

Dozens of people have been killed, largely in Eastern Province, which is home to most of the country’s Shiites.

These sleeper cells, like many other busted ones in Saudi Arabia in recent years, were involved in making explosive belts and bombs. That attack in January killed two security officers and a civilian, as well as a suicide bomber.

The plans also included targeting military and economic facilities in different locations, the Interior Ministry statement added.

Saudi Arabia says it has smashed three cells linked to the extremist group Islamic State (IS) and also arrested 17 suspected sympathizers.

The Al Arabiya report revealed no further details but other reports said the attackers fled the scene after the shooting.

They also conspired to plant an explosive device on the vehicle of an employee of the Ministry of Defense in Riyadh.