Suicide bomber wounds four in Saudi Arabia's Jeddah

Man wanted over 2015 mosque attack dies after detonating explosive belt during attempt to arrest him

Abdullah Al Shehri, and the shattered glass in front of the building where officials say he blew himself up. SPA, AFP

A man wanted by Saudi security forces killed himself and wounded four others by detonating an explosive belt in Jeddah.

The bomber, identified as Abdullah Al Shehri, blew himself up during an attempt to arrest him in the Red Sea port city, the Saudi State Security Presidency said on Friday.

A Pakistani citizen and three security personnel were taken to hospital, a spokesman said.

The security service said Al Shehri detonated his explosives after being spotted in the Al Samer area of Jeddah at around 10pm on Wednesday.

Following news of the bombing, the UAE expressed its "full support to any measures taken by Saudi authorities to maintain its security and safety of its citizens and residents", in a statement released by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation.

Al Shehri was fourth on a list of nine wanted people issued by Saudi security authorities in 2016.

All nine were wanted in connection with a terrorist attack on a mosque in the south-western Asir region in August 2015, the State Security Presidency said.

In the 2015 attack, 15 people were killed when a suicide bomber detonated his explosives inside the mosque in a police compound in Abha, the capital of Asir governorate. The interior ministry identified the bomber as Youssef Al Suleiman, 21, Saudi citizen.

In October2015, five people were killed when a gunman opened fire at a Shiite gathering in the Qatif area of Eastern Province.

Both attacks were claimed by ISIS.

Five other suspects wanted over the Asir attack died earlier during raids by security forces, while one is in custody and another remains at large.

“The State Security Presidency stresses its determination to counter any attempt to undermine the security and stability in the country,” the security service said on Friday.

In 2020, a Saudi citizen was arrested after he wounded a guard in a knife attack at the French consulate in Jeddah.