Makkah: Saudi authorities on Friday, October 2, denied reports of a suicide bomber at the Grand Mosque in Makkah, saying a man was arrested for harassing passersby and causing panic.
The Saudi General Directorate of Public Security said security authorities in the Holy Capital arrested a person after he allegedly harassed passersby and caused fear and panic among them.
According to the authorities, the man was dealt with immediately and legal procedures were initiated before he was referred to the Public Prosecution.
The authorities also rejected claims circulating on social media about a suspected suicide bombing at the Grand Mosque and urged the public to rely on official sources for information.
Viral video linked to old incident
The clarification came after a video circulated on social media claiming to show Saudi security personnel detaining a suspected suicide bomber near the Kaaba.
Posts accompanying the footage alleged that a man wearing an explosive vest had approached the Kaaba and attempted to detonate it. However, the video is from February 2017 and is unrelated to the latest incident.
A report by Arab News published at the time said Saudi security forces had stopped a man near the Kaaba who had poured petrol on his clothes and attempted to set himself on fire. He was arrested before he could carry out the act.
The old footage was subsequently recirculated online with misleading claims linking it to a recent incident in Makkah. Saudi authorities have confirmed that the current incident involved a man arrested for allegedly harassing passersby and causing panic, not a suicide bombing.
