Saudi security forces have detained militants suspected of involvement in the bombing that killed at least 18 people in a housing compound in the capital Riyadh at the weekend.
"A group of suspects in the bombing was detained. Thecampaign to chase the culprits started immediately after thebombing. Some were also detained and released afterinterrogation," a diplomat said. The arrests took place in Riyadh and the outskirts.
Saudi-born Osama bin Laden's al-Qaeda network is suspectedof staging Sunday's suicide attack that also wounded 120. InMay, a triple suicide bombing on a housing complex in Riyadhkilled 35 people.
Saudi Arabia's King Fahd yesterday said that his country would strike with an "iron fist" against militants.
The warning came as a senior US official said the al-Qaeda network was trying to topple the Saudi royal family and the pro-Western government of the world's biggest oil exporter.
A compound resident said the two attackers used a car with military markings to get past a checkpoint outside the compound. When they reached the main entrance they shot a security guard and one other man, an Indian.
Washington has been pressing Saudi Arabia to combat al-Qaeda, believed responsible for the attacks on US cities onSeptember 11th, 2001. Fifteen out of the 19 attackers were Saudis.