 |
| victim of the terrorist attack |
Security forces shot dead two of the men and two others blew themselves
up outside the holy city on Thursday.
The raid followed a spate of shootings
and bombings against security forces which raised concerns about security in
the world's top oil exporter.
Among the four was 46-year-old Saudi national Said
Ayed al-Shahrani who orchestrated the bombing of a mosque for security forces
in Asir province in August that killed 15 people, state news agency SPA quoted
an interior ministry statement as saying on Friday."
We continue with
determination to foil attacks and to guard the security of this nation.. we
must stand as one against this criminal group and its terrorist
activities," the statement said.Saudi-owned Al-Arabiya TV reported that
explosive devices and pistols had been found after Thursday's shooting and
showed images of the four men's faces and dates of birth.
The interior ministry
also said gunmen shot and killed a Saudi policeman on duty in a village close
to the site of Thursday's raid.The Islamic State group has claimed
responsibility for a string of bombings that have targeted police and mosques
of the kingdom's Shi'ite Muslim minority since last year.
The militant group
views Shi'ites as heretics but is also bitterly opposed to the wealthy Gulf
kingdom's Sunni Muslim rulers, whom it regards as having betrayed Islam through
close ties with the West.
It has urged young Saudi Sunnis to attack targets
including Shi'ites.
(Reporting by Tom Finn; editing by Dominic Evans)
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