Saudi Arabia arrests 46 in connection with 2016 Prophet’s Mosque attack

Published May 1st, 2017 - 09:00 GMT
Saudi security forces. (AFP/Hassan Ammar)
Saudi security forces. (AFP/Hassan Ammar)

Saudi Arabia said Sunday it had arrested 46 members of a militant cell responsible for a suicide bombing on the Prophet's Mosque in the holy city of Madinah last year. 

Four security personnel were killed when a bomber blew up himself outside the mosque in July in a deadly attack widely blamed on Daesh. 

An Interior Ministry spokesman said the dismantled cell included 14 foreigners and 32 Saudi citizens, according to the official SPA news agency. 

He said the cell had provided the explosive belt used by the bomber in the attack on the Prophet's Mosque. 

The spokesman said investigation had proved that the cell was also responsible for an attack on a hospital in the port city of Jeddah. 

By Ahmed al-Masri

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