Saudi Arabia has arrested a senior figure in Al Qaeda who is believed to have played a crucial role in planning and carrying out the May bombings in Riyadh that killed 34 people, including 8 Americans. The same man was thought to be planning further operations against American targets, senior American and Saudi government officials said today. The arrest of the suspect, Ali Abd al-Rahman al-Faqasi al-Ghamdi, also known as Abu Bakr al-Azdi, was described by the officials as a major step. He was perhaps the most senior Qaeda official in Saudi Arabia, the officials said, and had close links to other Qaeda leaders, including Saif al-Adel, a fugitive who is regarded as Al Qaeda’s security chief. Mr. Ghamdi had been named by Saudi officials as the prime suspect in the May bombings. His name and picture were also included among those of the 19 men sought in connection with an arms cache that was seized in Riyadh, the Saudi capital, several days before the attack. Full Story
About OODA Analyst
OODA is comprised of a unique team of international experts capable of providing advanced intelligence and analysis, strategy and planning support, risk and threat management, training, decision support, crisis response, and security services to global corporations and governments.