Saudi Arabia arrests 46 suspects over 2016 Medina attack

DUBAI: Saudi Arabia said on Sunday it had arrested 46 members of a militant cell responsible for a deadly suicide bombing attack on Prophet Mohammed’s (PBUH) Mosque in the holy city of Medina last summer that was blamed on Daesh.

The suspects, which included foreign and Saudi citizens, were detained in the Western port city of Jeddah, state news agency SPA quoted the interior ministry as saying.

Three suicide bombers and two members of the security forces were killed in the unprecedented attack on the Prophet’s (PBUH) Mosque – which is one of the religion´s holiest sites.

There was no claim of responsibility for the attack nor did the interior ministry statement blame a specific group.

Daesh, based in Iraq and Syria, has carried out a series of bombings and shootings in Saudi Arabia since mid-2014, killing scores of people, mostly members of the Shi´ite Muslim minority and security services.

It has vowed to uproot Gulf monarchies it accuses of being in the thrall of the West.