The Government of Maldives has harshly condemned the attempted terrorist attack on al-Masjid al-Ḥarām, in Mecca and applauded Saudi Arabia’s efforts against terrorism. The government made the statement via an official tweet by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Saudi Arabia's Interior Ministry stated that their security forces on Friday prevented an imminent attack on the al-Masjid al-Ḥarām in Mecca.
A suspect planning an attack on the mosque blew himself up in a nearby neighborhood when security forces surrounded a home where the man was hiding, CNN cited the Ministry as saying. Officials said that the suspect refused to comply with demands to surrender, opened fire on security forces and then killed himself. The explosion caused the partial collapse of the building in which the suspect was hiding.
A Saudi Press official in London told CNN, six expatriates were injured and taken to a hospital, and five security personnel received minor injuries. Five people, including one woman, suspected of involvement in the plot, have been arrested. The Interior Ministry said that three groups, two based in Mecca and one in Jeddah, planned the attack.
Al-Masjid al-Ḥarām, is the largest mosque in the world and surrounds Islam's holiest site. The state-run Saudi Press Agency said that the identity of the attacker was still being verified, but pointed to foreign involvement.