Riyadh (AsiaNews/Agencies) – Saudi authorities have arrested 44 suspected terrorists linked to al-Qaeda in a series of operations lasting more than a year between July 2008 and 2 August 2009, Interior Ministry sources reported. Security forces also found caches holding weapons and explosive materials in Riyadh and in the province of Qassim.

Ministry spokesman Mansour Al-Turki said that all but one of the detained were Saudis, adding that they had high educational qualifications and advanced technical expertise and some had received training in heavy and light weapons-use. Those arrested are also suspected of recruiting new terrorists and financing Osama Bin Laden’s terror network through charities.

Al-Turki said that unless the terrorism-related ideology was eliminated from the roots, it would be difficult to prevent the formation of such terror cells in the future.

He reiterated that the kingdom would not stop its fight against extremists, noting that Saudi security forces foiled 160 attacks in the lat two years.

Weapons caches included 17 Kalashnikov machine guns, 12 cases of live ammunition and 280 electronic remote detonation devices along with 50 machine guns, 39 ammunition magazines and 15,000 rounds of ammunition.

Islamic extremists have been responsible for more than 30 attacks in the highly conservative Islamic kingdom since May 2003, killing so far 90 civilians and 74 members of the security forces.

Since 2003 the authorities have pursued an aggressive campaign against terrorism, arresting tens of suspects.