Terrorist attacks thwarted as Saudi police uncover IS-linked cell

An Islamic State group-linked terrorist network planning major attacks in Saudi Arabia was uncovered by security forces in the kingdom, authorities confirmed on Monday.

Seventeen suspects, including a Saudi woman, were arrested in the sweep. Eleven were Saudi citizens, while three were Yemenis, two Egyptians and one was a Palestinian national, according to Interior Ministry spokesman Major General Mansour al-Turki.

Material used to create explosive devices were discovered, including  a pressure cooker, an assault rifle equipped with a silencer and suicide vests, pictures posted on Twitter showed.

The kingdom's interior ministry said the cell and was planning future attacks against civilians, security personnel and government sites in the country, and also communicated “with leaders abroad in all their activities.”

The months' long operation thwarted four potential terrorist attacks, including one targeting a Defence Ministry official and one planning to attack general security trainees by placing an explosive device at the gate of their facility.

The months' long operation thwarted four potential terrorist attacks, including one targeting a Defence Ministry official and one planning to attack general security trainees by placing an explosive device at the gate of their facility

The sweep, al-Turki added,  also intercepted the delivery of two suicide vests and arrested a Saudi suspect planning to carry out a suicide bombing in al-Ahsa province.

The group was involved in a car bombing against a security officer in the capital, Riyadh, in February, a bombing against a security checkpoint in Riyadh in July last year, a failed attempt to bomb an oil pipeline in the governorate of al-Dawadmi, and in the murder of a retired brigadier, whose death was announced in February.

It was also accused of links with two attackers involved in a bombing and shooting in the eastern al-Ahsa governorate which targeted Shia worshippers at Imam Reda Mosque.

Multiple Islamic State group attacks have mainly targeted security forces across the kingdom as well as the nation's minority Shia group in the oil-rich Eastern Province.

Earlier this week, two Saudi policemen were shot dead by unidentified gunmen as they were patrolling in Dammam.