Saudi Arabia says it foiled bombing attack against U.S. Embassy

Nearly 100 people accused of plotting terrorist attacks in Saudi Arabia have been arrested, the Saudi Arabian government said Tuesday.

Saudi Interior Ministry spokesman Maj. Gen. Mansour al-Turki announced through the state-run Saudi Press Agency that authorities uncovered a plot in mid-March by at least two Syrians and a Saudi to attack the U.S. Embassy in Riyadh. The Saudi had a criminal record, the Interior Ministry said, and was arrested April 18. His car was searched, and investigators found batteries, pipes, mobile chargers, and electric wires. The Saudi Press Agency reports that a total of 93 people with ties to Islamic State were arrested, including 65 Saudis who they say were planning to attack prisons, security forces, and residential areas.

One senior U.S. intelligence official confirmed to ABC News that a "legitimate plot" was thwarted. The U.S. Embassy and diplomatic missions in Jiddah and Dhahran were closed in mid-March because of security concerns, lining up with the timeline of the alleged plot.

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