Saudi Bombing Suspects Tied To Iran Source Says Group Shares Name With And Inspired By Hezbollah

Dozens of suspects detained in Saudi Arabia for the bombing of a U.S. military housing complex belong to a shadowy group inspired by Iran, Saudi security sources and Shiite Muslim dissidents said Saturday.

The little-known Shiite Muslim organization Hezbollah has links with the Lebanon-based Iranian-backed group of the same name, as well as connections with Iran’s close Arab ally, Syria, said the sources, speaking on condition of anonymity.

But in a statement sent to The Associated Press, the group denied any involvement in the blast, and said it had been “subjected to a wave of arrests that includes the (group’s) entire leadership.”

The statement predicted that authorities might try to pin the blame for the bombing on Hezbollah members. Other sources suggested the government was focusing on the Shiites and Iran but that majority Sunni Muslims were also among the suspects.

Saudi Arabia faces home-grown opposition among Sunni activists, who are opposed to the kingdom’s allegiance to the West and perceived corruption. The Saudi government has said little about their activities.

The statement Saturday, faxed from an unknown location, said about 100 Hezbollah members had been arrested by Saudi authorities since the June 25 truck bombing that killed 19 Americans in the eastern city of Dhahran.

The Washington Post on Friday quoted sources as saying that the driver of the explosives-laden truck used in the bombing was among the suspects detained by the authorities.

The newspaper said the authorities had obtained confessions from several suspects implicating Iran as the instigator of the attack, and suggesting that Syria had advance knowledge.

But security officials said the investigation still had not reached a conclusion. Speaking on condition of anonymity, they said that the probe focused on the Shiites in detention. An official announcement would be made soon, they said without elaborating.

Iran has repeatedly denied any role, despite its longstanding opposition to the Saudi government.