Dubai: Saudi Arabian authorities in recent months have arrested 208 suspected terrorists plotting to attack oil installations in the world's largest oil exporting nation.

The arrested militants included an eight-member cell, led by an expatriate man, which planned to attack an auxiliary oil facility in the Eastern Province, spokesman for the Interior Ministry Major General Mansour Al-Turki told Arab News.

The arrest of the militants, including 32 terror financiers, are part of the pre-emptive operations carried out by security forces over the last few months to thwart terrorist plots to disrupt the country s expansive oil industry, the media report said. Al-Turki said the suspects had been influenced by a deviant ideology.

The arrested militants also included an 18-member cell, which had smuggled eight missiles into the Kingdom in order to launch terrorist operations, the spokesman was quoted as saying.

An infiltrator, who is an expert in missile launching, headed the team, he added. Al-Turki said the arrested terror financiers included Saudis as well as expatriates, adding that they had provided financial support to Al-Qaeda militants in the Kingdom and abroad.

Speaking about the media cell that was operating in Madinah to promote deviant ideologies and thoughts, he said the cell had provided militants every encouragement to commit various crimes.

Source : PTI