Alleged Riyadh bomb mastermind in Saudi custody
A man has been arrested on allegations that he orchestrated the al-Qaeda terrorist bombings in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on May 12, according to media reports.
The May 12th atrocities saw suicide bombers attack three housing compounds inhabited by Westerners and other foreigners. Nine attackers and 25 victims were killed.
Ali Abd al-Rahman al-Faqasi al-Ghamdi was in custody after surrendering to Saudi police, an official at the Saudi interior ministry told Radio Riyadh.
But one US official said, under the protection of anonymity, the man, who fought against the US and allies in Afghanistan, had been “captured.”
The man, reportedly around 30 years of age, is thought to be a key al-Qaeda operative and is a name on the list of 19 alleged militants wanted by Saudi police.
The man also known as Abu Bakr al-Azdi is closely tied with Saif al-Adil and Abu Mohamed al-Masri, two of the big names in al-Qaeda. The men remain on the run.
Officials also reported that Mr. Al-Ghamdi is a colleague of Khalid Shaikh Mohammed, the man alleged to have organised the September 11 devastation. Mr. Khalid Shaikh has been caught.
