RIYADH — Saudi Arabia’s Interior Ministry has said the Kingdom is currently facing terrorist groups with ties to Iran.
The ministry's spokesman Maj. Gen. Mansour Al-Turki said on Monday that terrorists involved in the murder of Mohammed Al-Jirani, a judge in Qatif in the Eastern Province were tied to Iran. Al-Turki, however, said terrorist acts were declining in the Kingdom.
In a statement, the spokesman blamed Iran for supporting terrorist groups that carry out missions on behalf of sponsoring countries, such as the Houthi militias, the Lebanese Hezbollah, the Daesh outfit, Al-Qaeda and "even elements we deal with in Qatif."
"Sponsors of terrorism do not leave any trail of their involvement in order to avoid international condemnation. However, they form proxy groups to conduct terrorist operations that are supported and financed by them like the Houthi militias in Yemen and Hezbollah in Lebanon,” Al-Turki said.
The terrorist organizations and groups take charge on behalf of these sponsoring countries through recruitment, incitement and training. These sponsors also provide them with logistic support through provision of explosive materials and weapons, he said. “We were able to expel terrorist elements from Al-Musawara neighborhood in the town of Awamiya in Qatif,” he said.
He also confirmed the death of wanted terrorist Salman Al-Faraj, one of the kidnappers of Al-Jirani, as well as the arrest of his half-brother Zaki Al-Faraj.
In his statement, Al-Turki said a number of terrorists participated in the kidnapping of Jirani, who was taken to an abandoned farm in Awamiya and killed. He said the Kingdom provides all resources available for the security services to exercise their functions in tracking terrorists.
