This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2016/jan/31/saudi-arabia-report-americans-detained-terror-charges-isis
The article has changed 4 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| US officials question Saudi Arabia report of Americans detained on terror charges | US officials question Saudi Arabia report of Americans detained on terror charges |
| (about 20 hours later) | |
| American officials said on Sunday they did not believe nine US citizens were among 33 suspects detained on terrorism charges in Saudi Arabia over the past week, as reported by a Saudi newspaper. | American officials said on Sunday they did not believe nine US citizens were among 33 suspects detained on terrorism charges in Saudi Arabia over the past week, as reported by a Saudi newspaper. |
| The English-language daily Saudi Gazette, citing an unnamed source, on Sunday reported that four Americans were detained last Monday, followed by another five in the following days. | The English-language daily Saudi Gazette, citing an unnamed source, on Sunday reported that four Americans were detained last Monday, followed by another five in the following days. |
| Saudi authorities also detained 14 Saudis, three Yemenis, two Syrians, an Indonesian, a Filipino, a United Arab Emirates citizen, a Palestinian and a citizen of Kazakhstan, the report said. | Saudi authorities also detained 14 Saudis, three Yemenis, two Syrians, an Indonesian, a Filipino, a United Arab Emirates citizen, a Palestinian and a citizen of Kazakhstan, the report said. |
| Six US officials told Reuters that the US government could not confirm that any Americans were among the 33 suspects detained. | Six US officials told Reuters that the US government could not confirm that any Americans were among the 33 suspects detained. |
| However, two officials said US authorities were still checking names against databases. Saudi authorities were also investigating the citizenship of those detained, one of the officials said. | However, two officials said US authorities were still checking names against databases. Saudi authorities were also investigating the citizenship of those detained, one of the officials said. |
| None of the US officials was authorized to speak publicly, and the US embassy did not immediately respond to a request for comment. | None of the US officials was authorized to speak publicly, and the US embassy did not immediately respond to a request for comment. |
| Related: Opposition finally agrees to join Syrian peace talks in Geneva | Related: Opposition finally agrees to join Syrian peace talks in Geneva |
| Saudi Arabia in 2014 declared Islamic State a terrorist organisation and has detained hundreds of its supporters. The group, which controls territory in Iraq and Syria, has staged a series of attacks in the kingdom. | Saudi Arabia in 2014 declared Islamic State a terrorist organisation and has detained hundreds of its supporters. The group, which controls territory in Iraq and Syria, has staged a series of attacks in the kingdom. |
| On Friday an attack at a Shia mosque in Saudi Arabia’s al-Ahsa district in Eastern Province killed four people and injured 18, the latest in a string of attacks claimed by Sunni jihadi militants that have left over 50 dead in the past year. | On Friday an attack at a Shia mosque in Saudi Arabia’s al-Ahsa district in Eastern Province killed four people and injured 18, the latest in a string of attacks claimed by Sunni jihadi militants that have left over 50 dead in the past year. |
| The website of the interior ministry’s militant rehabilitation centre listed four US citizens as having been detained on 25 January and four more over the previous three months. It did not list any more recent detentions. | |
| The interior ministry spokesman directed Reuters to the website, which gives information on all people detained as militant suspects, but gave no further comment. | The interior ministry spokesman directed Reuters to the website, which gives information on all people detained as militant suspects, but gave no further comment. |
| The ministry on Saturday identified one of the attackers in al-Ahsa as 22-year-old Abdulrahman al-Tuwaijri, a Saudi citizen, who detonated an explosive vest outside the Imam Rida mosque in the Mahasen district of Hofuf in al-Ahsa. | The ministry on Saturday identified one of the attackers in al-Ahsa as 22-year-old Abdulrahman al-Tuwaijri, a Saudi citizen, who detonated an explosive vest outside the Imam Rida mosque in the Mahasen district of Hofuf in al-Ahsa. |
| A 27-year-old was also arrested wearing an explosive vest and carrying hand grenades when members of the mosque’s congregation seized him after he fired shots at them during the attack, the ministry said. | A 27-year-old was also arrested wearing an explosive vest and carrying hand grenades when members of the mosque’s congregation seized him after he fired shots at them during the attack, the ministry said. |
| Attacks by supporters of Isis in Saudi Arabia include two bombings and two mass shootings at Shia mosques. A mosque used by Sunni security services was also bombed | |
| The Saudi clergy have denounced the group as “kharijites”, an early Islamic sect reviled by Muslims for its extreme ideology. | The Saudi clergy have denounced the group as “kharijites”, an early Islamic sect reviled by Muslims for its extreme ideology. |