Saudis say 17 held after 'IS plot' foiled

The interior ministry says 16 men and one woman were arrested

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia said Monday it has smashed three cells linked to the Islamic State group which planned to attack military facilities and other targets and has also detained 17 suspects.

The interior ministry said 16 men and one woman were arrested. They were mostly Saudis but also included one Yemeni, an Egyptian and a Palestinian.



They are the latest arrests connected with the Sunni extremist group in Saudi Arabia.

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

Dozens of people have been killed, largely in Eastern Province, which is home to most of the country's Shias.



"Months-long efforts culminated in the foiling of a terrorist plot that was to be carried out by a network made up of three cluster cells connected to IS," the ministry said in a statement to the official Saudi Press Agency.

"They targeted security officials and security, economic and military establishments and citizens in different locations."