Manama: Saudi police have arrested five more members of an Iranian spy ring, bringing the total number to 32.
Police had arrested 17 suspects in March 2013 and 10 in May 2013, and all the suspects will be put on trial at the end of February or in early March on charges of gathering information about vital locations and installations and conveying details to Iranian intelligence services, Saudi daily Makkah reported on Monday.
The suspects arrested in March, 2013 were 16 Saudis and one Iranian, while the 10 detained in May, 2013 were eight Saudis, one Lebanese and one Turkish national.
No details were available about the nationalities of the latest five suspects or where or when they were detained.
Saudi officials in 2013 said that they had evidence that proved the suspects’ connection with Iranian intelligence agencies and that they received financial rewards for providing sensitive information.
Relations between Saudi Arabia and Iran have been tense for decades and Riyadh last month severed its diplomatic ties with Tehran after Iranians attacked the Saudi embassy and the general consulate in Mashhad.
The Gulf Cooperation Council, the Arab League and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation have strongly condemned the attacks on the diplomatic missions. Several Arab countries also cut off ties with Iran or lowered their diplomatic representations to protest against its interference in the domestic affairs of Arab countries.
