JEDDAH, 4 December 2003 — Police say they have arrested a prime suspect in the Nov. 8 bombing of the Al-Muhaya residential compound in Riyadh. They have also seized a huge cache of arms, including a surface-to-air missile, an Interior Ministry spokesman said yesterday.
“Security agencies have pinpointed the hide-out of an individual belonging to the terrorist cell that carried out the Al-Muhaya attack. He was captured last Wednesday,” the Saudi Press Agency quoted the spokesman as saying. (See pictures on Page 2)
Weapons seized at the hide-out included an SA-7 missile, a rocket-propelled grenade launcher, four rocket launchers, four rocket-propelled grenades, 20 hand grenades, 89 electronic explosive devices and 1,428 kg of explosives, including RDX.
Police also confiscated eight Kalashnikovs, 16,800 rounds of live ammunition, 41 magazines and four walkie-talkies in addition to three computers, leaflets inciting violence and SR94,395 in cash.
The ministry spokesman did not reveal the identity of the suspect for security reasons but said police would continue their search for other members of the terrorist cell. He warned the public against providing refuge to terror suspects.
On Monday, the Interior Ministry revealed fresh details of the Al-Muhaya bombing, naming two of those who carried out the attack which killed at least 18 people and injured more than 120 others. The ministry said DNA tests revealed the identities of two Saudi, Ali ibn Hamid Al-Harbi and Nasser ibn Abdullah Al-Sayyari.
The US Embassy in Riyadh has warned of possible fresh attacks on residential compounds in the Kingdom.
