Saudi authorities on Friday announced the arrest of 41 suspected militants, including those captured during a series of simultaneous raids earlier this month in which al-Qaida's leader in Saudi Arabia was killed.An Interior Ministry statement outlined the Aug. 18 operation in Riyadh and Medina, which killed al-Qaida's Saudi chief, Saleh Mohammed al-Oufi, and two other militants. Authorities identified, for the first time, two other militants slain during raids in both cities. One was Majed Hamed Abdullah al-Hassiri, a 29-year-old Saudi who was No. 14 on a list of 36 most wanted terrorists sought for connection to terror attacks in the kingdom dating back to 2003. He was killed in a shootout with police in Riyadh. The other slain Saudi militant, Mohammed bin Abdullah Owaidah, died in the same shootout in Medina that also killed al-Qaida chief al-Oufi.
The statement also provided details about several swoops that netted at least 41 people on July 25 and Aug. 18 in Riyadh, Medina and the northern town of Arar, including non-Saudis. Among the 41 was Mohammed Saeed Mohammed al-Sayam al-Umari, 25, who was arrested in Medina on July 25 and was No. 10 on the list of 36 most wanted terrorists. Since May 2003, Islamic militants have carried out numerous suicide bombings and kidnappings and have regularly battled security forces. The attacks, which have tended to target Westerners and housing complexes were Westerners live, have been blamed on the al-Qaida terror group and its allies. Saudi forces say they have gotten the upper hand against terror cells, killing or capturing all but one figure on a previous most wanted list of 26 militants. Saudi national Talib Saud Abdullah al-Talib, who was No. 16 on the earlier list, remains at large.
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A ministry official said that during a raid on two residential locations in Arar near the border with Iraq, security forces arrested two members of the same group and seized weapons and âmotorcycles used to smuggle individuals out of the country.â The official said security forces began tracking down the cell targeted in last weekâs offensive after arresting Mohamed ibn Saeed Al-Amri, one of the militants on a wanted list of 36, in Madinah on July 25.
âThirteen members of the group were subsequently caught and various weapons seized,â the official said. A total of 28 more suspects had been rounded up since the start of the campaign on Aug. 18, he added. The ministry said those arrested were of various nationalities but did not reveal their names. Security forces have uncovered weapons and parts of RPGs and machine guns dumped in a 150-meter-deep well in Madinah. They have also seized weapons kept in a warehouse in Madinah, SR186,000 in cash, telecommunication devices and various documents. Last weekâs Cabinet meeting commended the security officers for their âpre-emptive operationâ to crush terrorists and foil terrorist attacks.