Saudi security forces have arrested more than 200 suspected terrorists and their supporters over the past few months as part of the kingdom’s continuing efforts to clamp down on terrorism in the country.
The detainees include 32 terror financers and 16 people who set up a “media cell” tasked with propagating extremist ideology.
Some of the detainees were planning attacks on oil installations in the kingdom, the Saudi Interior Ministry said.
They also included a 22-member cell that planned to assassinate Islamic scholars and security officers.
The suspects include Saudis and foreigners. Some were helping finance Al-Qa’ida operations, the ministry said.
Saudi Arabia, an ally of the United States, has been dealing with Islamic terrorism since 2003. Terrorists with links to Al-Qa’ida have been targeting official institutions, diplomatic and economic interests and foreigners in an attempt to undermine the monarchy and drive out Westerners.