Saudi officials visit Qatif mosque blast victims

Saudi health minister Khaled Al-Falih visited those injured in terror attack on Al-Qudaih’s Ali Bin Abi Talib Mosque at Qatif Central Hospital, the Saudi Gazette reported on Saturday.

Falih conveyed the condolences of King Salman to the family members of those who were killed in the attack.

A total of 21 worshipers were killed and 88 injured. The condition of 12 wounded and admitted in another continues to be serious.

Saudi authorities on Saturday identified Saudi national Salih bin Abdulrahman Salih Al Ghishaami as the suicide bomber whose attack on a mosque in the eastern part of the kingdom killed 21 and wounded 81 people the day before, Al Arabiya News Channel reported.

Authorities arrested 26 members of a cell affiliated with the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) militant group, who claimed responsibility for Friday’s attack, Saudi Ministry of Interior spokesman Maj. Gen. Mansour al-Turki told Al Arabiya.

“His name was Salih bin Abdulrahman Salih Al Ghishaami, a Saudi national. He was wanted by security services for belonging to a terrorist cell receiving directions from Daesh [ISIS] abroad,” the interior ministry said in a statement carried by the official Saudi Press Agency.

Al-Qishaami’s father had been “detained for a while,” Turki added.

“The cell was discovered last month, and so far 26 of its members, all Saudi nationals, have been arrested,” the interior ministry said.

Separately, it was revealed that five members of the same cell were responsible for the death of a Saudi soldier two weeks ago, a statement from the ministry said.