Saudi Arabia arrests over 100 people suspected of having links to al-Qaeda

March 25, 2010 According to the Saudi Arabian interior ministry, over 100 people in the country have been arrested on suspicion of links to the al-Qaeda terrorist group.

A statement, which was read read out over television, was released by the government on Wednesday. It said the arrested people were suspected of plotting attacks on security and oil installations. Members from three total cells were seized &mdash; 101 from one large cell, and six apiece from two smaller ones. Cameras, computers, and weapons were also confiscated by officials.

The statement reported that, out of the large cell, 51 members were Yemenis and 47 members Saudis; a Bangladeshi, an Eritrean, and a Somali were the rest of the group. The other cells consisted of eleven Saudis and a Yemeni.

"The network and the two cells were targeting the oil facilities in the Eastern Province and they had plans that were about to be implemented," said ministry spokesman Mansour al-Turki, adding that the groups had links to an affiliate for al-Qaeda in Yemen.