Saudi arrests 5 militants linked to Feb oil attack

RIYADH, Apr 18 (Reuters) Saudi Arabia today said it had arrested five militants linked to a failed al Qaeda attack on a major oil facility in February, and seized 1.5 tonnes of explosives.

An Interior Ministry statement read on state television said the five were linked to the foiled attack on Abqaiq, the world's biggest oil processing plant, in which two militants were killed. Saudi had earlier arrested other militants linked to the incident.

The television aired parts of a tape seized by police showing militants preparing the two vehicles used in the Abqaiq attack. It said the tape and explosives were found in a warehouse outside the capital Riyadh.

The footage identified a number of militants who took part in preparing the attack, including an al Qaeda leader, Fahd al-Juweir, who was killed on February 27.

In late March, Saudi Arabia said it had arrested 40 suspected militants, including eight who were linked to the February attack, in raids in several parts of the kingdom.

The television showed pistols, assault rifles, a computer and large amounts of compact discs and video tapes found by the authorities.

REUTERS SB KN2126