Saudi Arabia names ISIL-linked bomber of Shia mosque
The Saudi interior ministry has identified the ISIL-linked bomber who detonated his explosives at a Shia mosque in eastern city of Qatif in the deadliest terrorist attack in the kingdom over the past years.
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"His name was Salih bin Abdulrahman Salih al-Ghishaami, a Saudi national," the ministry announced in a Saturday statement cited in a report by the official Saudi Press Agency (SPA).
ISIL, however, identified the terrorist as Abu Amer al-Najdi.
He was wanted by security services for belonging to a terrorist cell receiving directions from Daesh abroad," the statement said, using the Arabic acronym for the Takfiri ISIL terrorist group, widely believed to be funded and supported by the Persian Gulf kingdom.
The notorious group, engaged in a war against the governments of Syria and Iraq, said it was behind the Friday bombing in the country’s Eastern Province, marking the first time the group has officially claimed responsibility for a terror attack in the monarchy.
The Saudi interior ministry further claimed "the [ISIL-linked] cell was discovered last month, and so far 26 of its members, all Saudi nationals, have been arrested."
"The criminal investigation lab examined the remains of the terrorist's body and the crime scene, and it was determined that the type of explosives used was RDX," commonly used in military warfare, the statement said.
Earlier in the day, tens of thousands of demonstrators took to the streets of the region to condemn the attack.
The Shia mourners also voiced anger against the Takfiri ISIL group, expressing frustration at the Al Saud royal family over the deadly blast.
On November 3, 2014, masked gunmen stormed a group of Shia Muslims participating in a ceremony marking the martyrdom anniversary of Imam Hussein (PBUH), the third Shia Imam, in the village of al-Dalwah in al-Ahsa Governorate of Eastern Province, and opened fire as people were observing the rituals of Ashura, the 10th day of the lunar month of Muharram.
The killing of Saudi Shias has caused an international outrage, with rights groups and regional countries expressing concern over the ongoing deadly violence.
Since 2011, Eastern Province has been the site of peaceful demonstrations, mostly in Qatif and Awamiyah. Protesters have been demanding reforms, freedom of expression and the release of political prisoners. They want an end to economic and religious discrimination in the oil-rich region.
Several protesters have been killed and dozens of activists have been arrested since then.
