almotamar.net - RIYADH (Thomson Financial) - More than 170 terror suspects have been rounded up by Saudi Arabian security forces in their ongoing battle against Al-Qaeda, an interior ministry spokesman said Friday.
The 172 suspects include both Saudis and foreigners, General Mansur al-Turki told state television.
Saudi Arabia has been battling Al-Qaeda suspects since they launched a wave of bombings and shootings, many targeting Westerners, in the oil-rich kingdom in May 2003.
'Seven cells from the 'deviant group' made up of around 172 Saudis and non-Saudis were arrested. Weapons, money and documents were also seized,' Turki said, using official terminology for suspected Al-Qaeda militants.
The arrests showed that 'the deviant group is linked to foreign elements and takes advantage of trouble spots outside the kingdom in planning, recruitment and training', he said in an apparent reference to war-torn Iraq.
Despite a relentless crackdown by security forces, the militants are continuing their attempts to 'resume their criminal activities in the kingdom in order to undermine security and public order and target the country's economy', Turki added.