JEDDAH: Ziad Al-Anzi, a Syrian expat, never thought his longtime neighbor in Al-Fayah neighborhood in the capital would one day turn out to be a terrorist and explosives producer or that the home he frequented over the years housed dangerous ammunition.

Al-Anzi is shocked following the arrest of his friend Yasser Mohammed Shafiq Al-Barazi on Saturday for turning his apartment into a lab producing explosives for use in terrorist operations, with help from his illegal Filipina roommate and friend Lady Nang.

Al-Anzi said Al-Barazi used to work as an accountant for a company in Riyadh, and was responsible for the company’s vehicles.

After work, he used to sell vegetables online and established a Facebook page for his objectives, he added, noting that he remained in contact with Al-Barazi despite moving to another apartment four months ago.

He said his last contact with Al-Barazi was a few days before his arrest, when Al-Barazi took SR1,000 from him to buy materials for work, but the amount was never paid back.

During a visit to his home two months ago, Al-Anzi says he saw no changes in his home or personality, but says he noticed a box of cigarettes despite the fact that Al-Barazi, 35, was not a smoker. Al-Barazi lived with his mother, who traveled to Turkey a month ago, he said.

“He was an IT genius and a computer expert,” Al-Anzi said, noting that he sought Al-Barazi’s help in completing some government procedures on the Abshir website.

Meanwhile, Interior Ministry spokesman Maj. Gen. Mansour Al-Turki said there are indications that Al-Barazi is linked to Daesh and it is being investigated.

As for Al-Barazi’s relationship with the arrested Filipino woman, he confirmed that she “violated residency regulations as her sponsor reported her missing 15 months ago.” She would help Al-Barazi assemble explosive devices and sew suicide vests.

As for his links to the terrorist activities carried out in the Kingdom this year, Al-Turki said the links “have not been ruled out,” noting that it is necessary to await the outcome of the investigation as security work must be completed properly to understand whether explosives used in these operations were created in his lab or elsewhere.

“We do not rule anything out completely and are keen on exploring all possibilities until we are 100 percent sure we have explored them all,” said Al-Turki. “We do not rule out the possibility that there might be other explosives labs.”