The number of wanted suspects on six Interior Ministry lists published in 2003 has declined from 263 to 132.

The updates on the lists, posted on the Interior Ministry’s website, showed that the number of wanted persons dropped following the death of 57 wanted persons during security clashes and two others who had died outside the Kingdom in conflict zones.

The Interior Ministry said that there are 24 detainees on the list and that search operations are still in progress for the remaining wanted persons, including those wanted on the “list of 23” for their involvement in the Qatif riots.

A ministry statement said 19 men were arrested and then released. The number of detainees at the criminal detective department prisons increased to 3,036 since last August.

The latest statistics indicate that Saudis top the total number of detainees, with 2,599 suspects, followed by Yemenis, with 185, Syrians 67, Pakistanis 29 and Egyptians 20.

A total of 166 terror suspects had been handed sentences ranging from two to 35 years by the Specialized Criminal Court in Riyadh. The terrorists had been accused of atonement, assassinations, the adoption of ‘takfirist’ rhetoric (branding others infidels), and exploiting religion to attract youth.