Security raids in Riyadh thwart suicide attacks
Saudi security forces defused a bomb that could have claimed the lives of many citizens and residents of Riyadh.
The security forces were able to neutralize operations in the preparation of explosives and detonation belts at a house on Al-Fayha Street in Riyadh. A Syrian man and a Filipino worker were arrested during the raid.
Interior Ministry spokesman Maj. Gen. Mansour Al-Turki said security efforts and comprehensive investigations are on track to follow up on the deviant group’s activities, adding that the security forces successfully foiled a number of terrorist attacks, overthrew terrorist cells and seized large amounts of explosive materials, two laboratories for the processing of explosive belts, and weapons.
Important data made available for the security forces through investigations and undercover operations revealed a fully equipped factory for preparing explosives and detonation belts for carrying out attacks.
The Syrian suspect was identified as Yaser Mohammed Al-Barrazi, who entered the country in 2010. A Filipino, who was illegally residing with the Syrian suspect at the house, was arrested. She was identified as Joy Bali Nang, who went missing 15 months ago, according to her employer.
She is suspected to have been helping the Syrian to make explosive belts for suicide attacks in the Kingdom. Whenever he went out, she wore an explosive belt.
The security forces suspect the house, in the middle of a residential neighborhood, was boobytrapped.
Another terror suspect was taken in from a second apartment in Riyadh’s Al-Jazeera neighborhood. The apartment was used as a safe house by fugitives from the law.
Given the seriousness of this information, the ministry worked carefully to set out an ambush outside the neighborhood to arrest the assailant in order to protect the lives of residents.
The houses in the vicinity of the first neighborhood were evacuated and the area was cordoned off for safety reasons.
Specialized teams defused the explosive material, and fully secured the site without causing any damage.
The seized items included two live explosive belts that were defused, a gas oven connected by metal and plastic tubes attached to a set of pressure pots and a 24 laboratory flasks, 10 high containers of chemical mixtures, cotton rolls, thick fabrics, tapes, and wax pastes.
Also seized were two sewing machines, electronic scales, welding equipment and oxygen cylinder; two detonators and shrapnel screws; two machine guns and 88 shots; two hard disk devices and three cameras.
The raid on the second site at Al-Jazeera neighborhood yielded one person. The site had some furniture, clothing and traces of other household necessities that made it clear that it was used as a safe haven for fugitives.
Law enforcement agencies are still in the process of investigating the activities of the suspects and officials said they don’t want to release anymore information for fear of jeopardizing the probe.