Two Saudi police men wounded in clashes with wanted; terrorist cells discovered

Saudi Arabia's ministry of the interior announced yesterday that it was able to uncover "certain cells while in their first phase of planning for terrorist operations and arrested most of its members, having with them banned items and weapons."

An armed clash took place between the Saudi security forces and certain wanted in a farm in al-Muneida' northern area in al-Qaseim region, the residence for Islamist extremists, and two security members were wounded. A source at the ministry said that the security forces received information to that a cell composed of four wanted are planning to carry out terrorist operations and were able to arrest one of them who confessed about his other friends in the farm."

Before the arrival of the security forces at the site "the four wanted persons got out of the farm opening fire ... and gun fire was exchanged with one of the patrols," according to the statement. This resulted in obstructing the car of the wanted persons, who had stolen the car of one citizen and fled in it."

An eye witness said that among the wounded is an army officer in the Saudi intelligence, who was hit in the clash and that special forces took part in the clashes and backed by a helicopter.

Meantime, the ministry said that the security forces also arrested "a terrorist cell" in a desert area to the east of the capital Riyadh where the security forces last Sunday cordoned the site and arrested three wanted persons before they were able to use weapons they were carrying.