Okaz/Saudi Gazette

RIYADH — Police have detained five Saudi spies, who were allegedly operating for Iran. They are now facing trial at a special criminal court in Riyadh, informed security sources told Okaz/Saudi Gazette.

The five men have reportedly exploited the religious flights to the Iranian city of Mashhad to join training camps conducted by the Revolutionary Guard.

The source said security forces arrested the five during the last three months. One of them was held while attempting to travel from King Fahd International Airport in Dammam.

Iranian authorities transported the five spies in civilian vehicles to furnished apartments soon after arrival in Mashhad. They were not allowed to leave their apartments and the Iranians provided them with all their requirements including food.

According to information received by Okaz/Saudi Gazette, the spies were taken to the training camp blindfolded so as to not reveal the route they had taken to reach the camp.

The source said two hours drive was required to reach the place. Soon after reaching the camp they were provided with special uniforms and accommodation in special housing units.

The spies were trained on how to use different weapons and explosives. Okaz/Saudi Gazette learned that the five had met with terrorist Ahmed Al-Maghsal, who is now in custody of Saudi security agencies for his involvement in bombing the Alkhobar Towers in 1996. Terrorists used a booby-trapped tanker to carry out the bombing that killed 19 American military officers and injured 372 others who belonged to different nationalities.

Al-Maghsal supervised training of the terrorists for two weeks as he asked the spies to form a terror cell in Saudi Arabia soon after returning from Mashhad and to work under his leadership to carry out various terrorists operations and explosions.

Al-Maghsal was targeting Saudi Arabia while he was in Iran as he recruited militants to carry out terrorist attacks inside the Kingdom. He also recruited Saudis to join military training camps in Iraq and learn how to use weapons including machine guns. Al-Maghsal was sentenced to 10 years jail.

He used to travel between Tehran and Beirut using a fake Iranian passport. A joint operation by Saudi and Lebanese security agencies led to his arrest.

A brother of one of the five spies was involved in a national security case and is facing trial for trying to recruit Saudis with the support of a Yemeni to form a terrorist group in Saudi Arabia and undermine its security.

That man is also accused of supporting the Syrian regime of Bashar Al-Assad, receiving military training in Yemen, funding terrorism and recruiting another person to join training camp in Yemen to fight alongside Syrian and Hezbollah forces.