Saudi Arabia says foiled terror attack in Qatif

By Ahmed al-Masri

RIYADH (AA) - Saudi security forces have foiled a suicide bombing outside a mosque in al-Qatif province in eastern Saudi Arabia.

Interior Ministry spokesman Mansur al-Turki said security forces suspected a man outside a mosque in the town of Um al-Hamam on Tuesday, according to the official SPA News Agency.

“While being questioned, the man tried to detonate a bomb in a sports bag on his back, prompting police to open fire,” he said. Al-Turki said the suspect died while being transported to hospital.

The spokesman said that 4 kg of explosives were found in the militant’s bag.

"A search revealed a Pakistani ID which is still being confirmed," he said.

Saudi Arabia’s Qatif province has experienced unrest since the execution of a prominent Shia cleric, whose death earlier this year has led to a rupture in Riyadh’s relations with Tehran.

Meanwhile, the Interior Ministry said that a Saudi citizen and a Syrian man detained in the eastern city of Dammam earlier August with explosives had planned to bomb a restaurant and a cafe on the island of Tarot.

The ministry said the two men had been recruited by Daesh group carry out the attack.

"Elements of Daesh abroad instructed them to carry out a suicide attack targeting the cafe in Tarot but the help of God and the vigilance of the security forces prevented this," the ministry said in a statement.