Riyadh, June 27: A militant who is suspected of masterminding the May 12 suicide bombings in the Saudi capital has been arrested, state radio has reported. Ali Abd al-Rahman al-Faqasi al-Ghamdi "surrendered voluntarily" to police, an interior ministry official said, according the report yesterday.
Al-Ghamdi is believed to have close links with al-Qaida,. He is also among the 19 alleged militants wanted since Saudi Police discovered a weapons cache in Riyadh early last month. The 19 are suspected of taking orders directly from al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden. Also known as Abu Bakr al-Azdi, he was at Tora Bora, Afghanistan, where Osama bin Laden was thought to be hiding in late 2001, US officials said, speaking on the condition of anonymity. He left before the US bombing began.
Officials say he has been linked to Saif al-Adil and Abu Mohamed al-Masri, two of the most senior al-Qaida operatives who remain at large. US officials have said both are thought to be hiding in Iran. Al-Ghamdi was also an associate of Khalid Shaikh Mohammed, the alleged September 11 mastermind now in US custody, the officials said.
Meanwhile, state-controlled Saudi newspapers reported yesterday that police had arrested three more suspected militants, including one wanted in connection with the foiled plot to launch terror attacks in the holy city of Mecca. Bureau Report