Saudi arrests Riyadh bombing suspects

A number of militants believed to be linked to the Riyadh bombings have been arrested in Saudi Arabia, Interior Minister Prince Nayef said.

The arrests were made in the holy city of Medina, he said.

Saudi and US officials have linked al-Qaida to the May 12 Riyadh attacks.

State media, which carried Nayef’s quotes, made no mention of al-Qaida.

Nayef said officials want to “wait a little bit before giving details so that (information) is comprehensive.”

Saudi papers today reported the arrest of as many as five people in Medina related to the attacks on three residential compounds that killed 34 people.

Al-Watan said at least three alleged al-Qaida members were arrested in an Internet cafe in Medina, including Abdel Rahman al-Faqaasy al-Ghamdy, who is believed to be the mastermind behind the bombings.

Al-Faqaasy was among 19 men wanted in connection with a weapons cache found on May 6 near the site of the Riyadh bombings. The 19 people were believed to be receiving orders directly from Osama bin Laden.

Saudi officials have detained about 100 people since launching a sweeping crackdown on extremists following the attacks.