Saudi Arabia ‘busts terrorists’ responsible for 2016 Medina, Jeddah bombings

Saudi Arabian authorities say they have arrested members of a terrorist cell responsible for bombing attacks in Medina and Jeddah last year.

The suspects, who included both Saudi and foreign nationals, were detained in the Western port city of Jeddah, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

“Thirty two of those arrested are Saudis, while… 14 others are from Egypt, Pakistan, Yemen, Afghanistan, Sudan, and Jordan,” Interior Ministry spokesman Major General Mansour al-Turki told reporters in the country’s capital city, Riyadh, on Sunday.

An assailant carried out a bombing attack on the Prophet’s Mosque in the holy city of Medina on July 4, 2016, killing himself and four security officials.

Turki did not specifically link the cell to any known militant organization but said it had also been behind a bombing near the US Consulate in Jeddah that similarly took place in July 4 last year.

Two security guards were injured in that attack.