Saudi Arabia Makes Al-Qaida Arrests

Saudi Arabia says it has arrested 149 people with suspected al-Qaida links during the past eight months.

The interior ministry said Friday the alleged militants had been involved in planning attacks against government officials, security force members and members of the media.

Ministry spokesman Mansour al-Turki said the suspects’ activities include fundraising and training people to use explosives.

He said security force members confiscated almost $600,000 during raids on the suspected militants, some who allegedly tried to collect money and spread ideology during the annual Muslim Hajj and Umrah pilgrimages in Saudi Arabia.

Turki said the suspects are a mix of Saudis and other nationalities and are linked to 19 al-Qaida cells. He said 25 suspects are foreigners, some from Africa and South Asia.

The ministry official said authorities believe some of the detainees have ties to al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula, the militant group’s Yemen branch. He said others are believed to be linked to al-Qaida cells in Afghanistan and Somalia.

Turki said one woman was arrested.

Authorities say the raids disrupted at least 10 terror plots. It is the biggest operation of its kind to be announced in Saudi Arabia in months.

Earlier this month, Saudi officials said they were on guard for possible al-Qaida attempts to disrupt security during the Hajj, which ended last week.

Saudi Interior Minister Prince Nayef bin Abdul Aziz said al-Qaida or other militants may attempt incursions from neighboring Yemen which has seen budding terrorism cells.