Saudi arrests of suspected terrorists in March 2010
Encyclopedia
Security officials announced over one hundred individuals were apperhended in a series of Saudi arrests of suspected terrorists in March 2010.
The individuals were all reported to be suspected of membership in Al Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula.
Judith Miller
, formerly of The New York Times
, reporting for Fox News, wrote that the captured men were "exchanging coded e-mails", with Said Ali al-Shiri.
The Telegraph reported that the Saudis arrested 113 individuals.
The suspects included 58 Saudis, 52 Yemen
is, one Somali
, one Bangla Deshi, and one Ethiopia
n.
According to The Telegraph the arrests were spread over several months, and were only made public in March.
According to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation
the captures represented three separate clandestine cells
, which were unaware of one another.
Two of the cells were said to be composed six individuals eacho, while the third was said to hold 101 individuals.
The raids were reported to have netted weapons, computers, anonymous prepaid cell phones, documents and cash.
The round-up of the largest cell was reported to have begun with the shootout where al-Shiri's brother-in-law, former Guantanamo captive Yussef Mohammed Mubarak al Shihri
was killed.
According to Mansur al-Turki, a Saudi interior ministry spokesman, the cells were targeting Saudi's oil industry.
The Australian Broadcasting Corporation quoted a warning from Clive Williams, an expert in terrorism from Macquarie University
, not to underestimate Al Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula.
Williams speculated that Saudi security officials had tortured the survivor of the October shootout.
The individuals were all reported to be suspected of membership in Al Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula.
Judith Miller
Judith Miller (journalist)
Judith Miller is a Pulitzer Prize-winning American journalist, formerly of the New York Times Washington bureau. Her coverage of Iraq's alleged Weapons of Mass Destruction program both before and after the 2003 invasion generated much controversy...
, formerly of The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
, reporting for Fox News, wrote that the captured men were "exchanging coded e-mails", with Said Ali al-Shiri.
The Telegraph reported that the Saudis arrested 113 individuals.
The suspects included 58 Saudis, 52 Yemen
Yemen
The Republic of Yemen , commonly known as Yemen , is a country located in the Middle East, occupying the southwestern to southern end of the Arabian Peninsula. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the north, the Red Sea to the west, and Oman to the east....
is, one Somali
Somali people
Somalis are an ethnic group located in the Horn of Africa, also known as the Somali Peninsula. The overwhelming majority of Somalis speak the Somali language, which is part of the Cushitic branch of the Afro-Asiatic language family...
, one Bangla Deshi, and one Ethiopia
Ethiopia
Ethiopia , officially known as the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. It is the second-most populous nation in Africa, with over 82 million inhabitants, and the tenth-largest by area, occupying 1,100,000 km2...
n.
According to The Telegraph the arrests were spread over several months, and were only made public in March.
According to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation
Australian Broadcasting Corporation
The Australian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly referred to as "the ABC" , is Australia's national public broadcaster...
the captures represented three separate clandestine cells
Clandestine cell system
A clandestine cell structure is a method for organizing a group of people in such a way that it can more effectively resist penetration by an opposing organization. Depending on the group's philosophy, its operational area, the communications technologies available, and the nature of the mission,...
, which were unaware of one another.
Two of the cells were said to be composed six individuals eacho, while the third was said to hold 101 individuals.
The raids were reported to have netted weapons, computers, anonymous prepaid cell phones, documents and cash.
The round-up of the largest cell was reported to have begun with the shootout where al-Shiri's brother-in-law, former Guantanamo captive Yussef Mohammed Mubarak al Shihri
Yussef Mohammed Mubarak Al Shihri
-Second annual Administrative Review Board:A Summary of Evidence memo was prepared forYusef M Modaray'ssecond annualAdministrative Review Board,on 12 October 2006.The memo listed factors for and against his continued detention.-Repatriation :...
was killed.
According to Mansur al-Turki, a Saudi interior ministry spokesman, the cells were targeting Saudi's oil industry.
The Australian Broadcasting Corporation quoted a warning from Clive Williams, an expert in terrorism from Macquarie University
Macquarie University
Macquarie University is an Australian public teaching and research university located in Sydney, with its main campus situated in Macquarie Park. Founded in 1964 by the New South Wales Government, it was the third university to be established in the metropolitan area of Sydney...
, not to underestimate Al Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula.
Williams speculated that Saudi security officials had tortured the survivor of the October shootout.