RIYADH: In a major drive against terror activities, the Saudi authorities have arrested 71 suspects since the beginning of the Islamic calendar on Oct. 14.

According to a report, 61 of the arrested suspects are Saudis, four Syrians and Yemenis in addition to two from Egypt.

Outlining the operation, a police officer said that on Oct. 29 alone, they rounded up 17 people, all of whom are Saudis except two, who are Syrian.

The following day, the security forces arrested 12 suspects, 11 of whom are Saudis, and a Syrian national. The following two days, 10 suspects were netted, eight of them Saudis and two Yemeni.

Thirteen Saudis were nabbed on Oct. 31 while 10 suspects — seven Saudis, two Egyptians and one Syrian — were arrested the following day.

The operation ended in the third week with a record arrest of nine suspects, mostly Saudi nationals.

The government campaign enjoys the support of senior scholars who have described Daesh as a terrorist outfit which has nothing to do with Islam.

The group, according to the ulema, works contrary to what Islam promotes and preaches.

They say that Daesh is a terrorist gang whose leadership is misleading the people. “They are not Islamists but terrorists steeped in ignorance and barbarism.”