http://www.arabnews.com/?page=1§ion=0&article=127970&d=2&m=11&y=2009&pix=kingdom.jpg&category=Kingdom
Monday 2 November 2009 (15 Dhul Qa`dah 1430)
Terrorist arms cache unearthed
Samir Al-Saadi I Arab News
Weapons were stashed under half a meter of concrete in a house on
the outskirts of Riyadh (above). Investigators had to cut through the slab to
get to the arms and ammunition (top right). (SPA)
RIYADH: The Interior Ministry has seized 281 Kalashnikov rifles, 55 boxes
of ammunition and 250 magazines from a rest house located in the outskirts of
Riyadh.
Investigators interrogating a cell of 44 Al-Qaeda-linked militants
discovered the hideaway. "Interrogations led us to the hideaway. The weapons
were found hidden under half a meter of concrete," said Interior Ministry
spokesman Maj. Gen. Mansour Al-Turki.
He added that investigations are ongoing.
The 44 militants' arrest was announced in August following yearlong raids
across the Kingdom. The Interior Ministry also announced then that the cell
sought to recruit youths and financed their activities through charitable
donations.
Forty-three of those arrested are Saudi nationals and received weapons
training in both the Kingdom and abroad. Some also received explosives
training. Others received training in counterfeiting documents and identity
cards. Their ages ranged between 20 and 60.
A previous Interior Ministry statement said that 17 Kalashnikov rifles,
50 other types of machine guns, 42 cases of ammunition and 96 remote electronic
detonators were also seized. The detonators were located underground in two
remote areas - one in the suburbs of Qassim and the other in a valley near
Riyadh.
The identities of those arrested have not been revealed. However,
Al-Turki said the men included some individuals with technical qualifications
and others with advanced university degrees.
None of those arrested figures in the list of 85 wanted militants issued
in February.
Investigations showed that some of the suspects were in contact with
senior Al-Qaeda commanders outside the Kingdom. Some were also in contact with
local Al-Qaeda operatives killed in recent clashes with security forces.
It was also disclosed that the suspects took advantage of charity works
to plan terror attacks in the country. Some of those arrested used their own
money to finance their operations.
Al-Turki said that the danger of terror still exists and that terrorists
are trying to reorganize and revive terror outfits.
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