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Saudi says foiled plot to bomb World Cup qualifier

jha

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Saudi authorities said Sunday they had foiled a plot to bomb a football stadium during a World Cup qualifying match and dismantled two “terrorist” cells linked to the Islamic State group.
The interior ministry said in a statement that four suspects from each cell had been arrested.

One of the cells had planned to park a bomb-laden vehicle outside Al-Jawhara stadium in the Red Sea city of Jeddah during an October 11 World Cup 2018 qualifying football match between Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, the ministry said.

Its members were two Pakistanis, a Syrian, and a Sudanese, the ministry said, without providing further details of the plot or arrests.

The other group had been plotting attacks against security forces and its members had received orders from an IS leader in Syria, the ministry said.

Its alleged members were based in Shaqra, northwest of Riyadh, and are all Saudis, the ministry statement said, adding that the suspects had all confessed.


Six other Saudis were detained and were being questioned over alleged links to the cell, it said.

Since late 2014, IS has claimed a series of bombings and shootings against Shias in the Sunni-majority kingdom, as well against security forces.

Eastern areas have seen repeated security incidents since 2011, when a wave of protests began among Shias demanding reform in the Sunni-majority kingdom.

IS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi has called for attacks against Saudi Arabia, which belongs to the US-led coalition bombing the militants in Syria and Iraq.

In July authorities arrested 19 people, including 12 Pakistanis, in connection with three suicide bombings on July 4 including one near the Prophet’s (PBUH) Mosque in Madina in which four people died.

http://tribune.com.pk/story/1215328/saudi-says-foiled-plot-bomb-world-cup-qualifier/
 
Good job by the intelligence service. Considering the fact that KSA is the biggest country in the region, hosting the largest number of foreigners, pilgrims and tourists (overall) in the region and despite being surrounded by unrest in the North and South currently (Iraq and Syria and Yemen) and West (Sinai) and a hostile neighbor to the East (Iran) there have been very few terrorist attacks since ISIS emerged as a regional "power" in late 2013 and early 2014. I think that terrorist attacks can be counted on 1 hand at most 1.5 hands. Less than 100 casualties from those attacks in total as well in the past 6 years or so.

Anyway speaking about that match, KSA defeated UAE 3-0 and we top our World Cup 2018 qualification group ahead of Australia and Japan.

Fahd Al-Muwallad scored an absolute beauty on a volley.


Time for the 3 times Asian champions and 6 times finalists (record) to return to a World Cup. KSA and Turkey are the only Muslim countries who have advanced from the Group Stage in a World Cup. In 1994 (KSA) and 2002 (Turkey) respectively.

ALL games should be played in Jeddah where the atmosphere is absolutely fantastic and the new station a marvel instead of in Riyadh where fans are mostly sleeping.

The game against Japan away next month will be crucial.

Anyway the 4 suspects:


«الداخلية»: ضبط خلية إرهابية كانت تجهز لتفجير ملعب الجوهرة
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