Suicide Bomber Targeting Mecca Foiled, 6 Injured

Riyadh: Six foreign pilgrims were hurt in Saudi Arabia when a suicide bomber targeting Islam's holiest site of Mecca blew himself up on Friday. The incident happened around the Grand Mosque where hundreds of thousands of worshippers gathered for early afternoon prayers on the last Friday of this year's Ramadan, the Muslim fasting month.

Ministry spokesman General Mansour al-Turki said that police "foiled the terrorist plan that targeted the security of the Grand Mosque, pilgrims and worshippers."

The blast partially collapsed the building where he had taken refuge, injuring the six pilgrims

In dawn raids on Mecca and the Red Sea city of Jeddah officers arrested five suspects, including a woman, before surrounding the bomber's location around the Grand Mosque. The blast partially collapsed the building where he had taken refuge, injuring the six pilgrims, Turki said.

Since late 2014 Saudi Arabia has faced periodic bombings and shootings claimed by the Islamic State jihadist group. Purported images from the scene that circulated on social media showed an alley filled with bricks and other debris apparently from a blast. Video showed what appeared to be a bearded man's head lying among rubble from a collapsed structure.

PTI