USA officials say can not confirm Americans detained in Saudi Arabia

Quoting a local police source, the Saudi Press Agency reported that the incident had occurred on Sunday morning in Qatif’s city of Seihat, “where policemen on patrol came under intense fire by unidentified attackers”. The attack killed at least one person and injured 16 others.

Four Americans were arrested in November and December and another four were detained on January 25, according to the site.

“We are looking into it and the Department of State takes its obligation to assist USA citizens overseas very seriously”, the official said.

USA officials say they can not confirm Saudi reports that nine Americans have been recently arrested in the Persian Gulf Arab monarchy.

According to an influential Iraqi parliamentary leader, the ideology embraced by the Takfiri Daesh terrorist group originates in Saudi Arabia. The group, which controls territory in Iraq and Syria, has staged a series of attacks in the kingdom. The list of detainees is posted on the Interior Ministry’s Nafethah website, which helps relatives communicate with detainees.

The Interior Ministry spokesman directed Reuters to the website, which gives information on all people detained as militant suspects, but gave no further comment.

Al-Tuwaijri died when he detonated his device at the entrance of Imam Reda Mosque in al-Ahsa, killing four people and wounding another 33 during Friday prayers.

A 27-year-old was also arrested wearing an explosive vest and carrying hand grenades when members of the mosque’s congregation seized him after he fired shots at them during the attack, the ministry said.

Saudi Arabia has witnessed sporadic suicide attacks in recent months.