'Spying Cell' in Saudi Arabia Sought Foreign Financing

Dr. Ibrahim al-Nahas
Dr. Ibrahim al-Nahas
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'Spying Cell' in Saudi Arabia Sought Foreign Financing

Dr. Ibrahim al-Nahas
Dr. Ibrahim al-Nahas

Members of a “spying cell,” arrested by Saudi Arabia’s state security presidency two days ago, sought to “incite strife by communicating with foreign entities hostile to Saudi Arabia and to establish a false legal organization, according to information received by Asharq Al-Awsat from informed sources.

The sources said most suspects of this cell claim to have religious obligations and were using human rights as a pretext to violate the country’s systems. One of the arrested suspects had volunteered to defend people who tried to produce chaos and incite strife inside the Kingdom, according to the sources.

Another member of the cell had contacted a foreign entity “hostile to Saudi Arabia, to receive financial support in exchange of continuing to incite trouble.”

Dr. Ibrahim al-Nahas, member of Shura Council Committee on Foreign Affairs, told Asharq Al-Awsat on Saturday that the Kingdom is capable to overpass many security challenges thanks to the vigilance of its security apparatus.

For his part, Dr. Yusuf Al-Rumaih, professor of criminology at Al- Qassim University told Asharq Al-Awsat that “Saudi Arabia is a state built on the basis of justice and it enshrines the principal of equality of all persons before the law.”

Earlier, the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) quoted the security spokesman of the Presidency of State Security as saying that 7 people have been arrested for suspicious communication with foreign entities and actions against the state.



It said authorities detected coordinated activities by a group of people, who carried out an organized work to violate the religious and national principles of the state.

“They also had communications with foreign entities to support their activities and also sought to recruit persons working in sensitive government posts as well as providing financial support to hostile elements abroad with the objective of undermining the Kingdom’s security and stability, its social peace and national cohesion,” the spokesperson added.



Saudi Arabia Welcomes US-Iran Deal to End Military Operations

A view of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (SPA)
A view of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (SPA)
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Saudi Arabia Welcomes US-Iran Deal to End Military Operations

A view of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (SPA)
A view of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (SPA)

Saudi Arabia welcomed on Monday the agreement reached between the United States and Iran to end their military operations and kick off 60-day negotiations to reach a lasting deal.

A Foreign Ministry statement said the Kingdom hailed the mediation led by Pakistan and Qatar, praising at the same time the US and Iran’s receptiveness to those efforts that helped lead to the agreement.

It stressed the importance of restoring security and freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz to the way they were before February 28 when the war erupted, saying they were essential for regional security and ensuring the movement of global trade and energy.

Saudi Arabia hoped the upcoming negotiations would achieve lasting peace that would consolidate regional and global security through understandings that take into account the region’s security interests and consolidate respect for the sovereignty of nations and non-interference in their internal affairs.


GCC Launches Platform for Unified Review of Gulf Legislation

Secretary General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Jasem Albudaiwi (4th from right) and other officials are seen at Sunday's launch. (GCC)
Secretary General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Jasem Albudaiwi (4th from right) and other officials are seen at Sunday's launch. (GCC)
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GCC Launches Platform for Unified Review of Gulf Legislation

Secretary General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Jasem Albudaiwi (4th from right) and other officials are seen at Sunday's launch. (GCC)
Secretary General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Jasem Albudaiwi (4th from right) and other officials are seen at Sunday's launch. (GCC)

Secretary General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Jasem Albudaiwi launched on Sunday the "Gulf Legislation Platform" that allows the review of unified Gulf legislation issued within the framework of joint Gulf action.

It provides a unified electronic reference that helps in supporting legislative and legal work across Gulf countries, said a statement by the GCC General Secretariat.

During the launch at the General Secretariat headquarters, Albudaiwi hailed the efforts of those in charge of the initiative, which came in implementation of the decision of the Standing Committee of Officials of Legislation Departments in the GCC States at its 19th meeting.

The committee had approved the General Secretariat's proposal to establish this specialized platform to streamline access to unified Gulf and national legislation.

The platform provides advanced search services that enable government and legal entities in the member states, alongside specialists, researchers, and those interested in legislative affairs, to access and review unified Gulf legislation and national legislation with efficiency and ease.

This boosts the exchange of legal expertise and supports legislative coordination and integration among the Council states. The platform currently boasts more than 24,700 legal and legislative documents.

The first phase of the project covers Bahrain and Oman, while the relevant authorities at the General Secretariat continue to work on completing the link with the remaining member countries.


KSrelief's Masam Project Clears 2,045 Mines across Yemen in One Week

The Saudi Project for Landmine Clearance (Masam) in Yemen cleared 2,045 mines from various regions of Yemen during the second week of June 2026. (SPA)
The Saudi Project for Landmine Clearance (Masam) in Yemen cleared 2,045 mines from various regions of Yemen during the second week of June 2026. (SPA)
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KSrelief's Masam Project Clears 2,045 Mines across Yemen in One Week

The Saudi Project for Landmine Clearance (Masam) in Yemen cleared 2,045 mines from various regions of Yemen during the second week of June 2026. (SPA)
The Saudi Project for Landmine Clearance (Masam) in Yemen cleared 2,045 mines from various regions of Yemen during the second week of June 2026. (SPA)

The Saudi Project for Landmine Clearance (Masam) in Yemen, implemented by the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSrelief), cleared 2,045 mines from various regions of Yemen during the second week of June 2026, the Saudi Press Agency said on Monday.

The clearance operations included 98 anti-tank mines, 18 anti-personnel mines, 1,927 unexploded ordnance items, and two improvised explosive devices (IEDs).

This brings the number of mines cleared since the beginning of June to 2,843, while the total removed since the launch of the Masam project has reached 567,182.

These mines had been indiscriminately planted across various parts of Yemen, posing a threat to civilians, including children, women, and the elderly.

Through KSrelief, Saudi Arabia continues to support mine-clearance operations across Yemen under the Masam project, helping to protect civilians from the dangers posed by landmines and explosive remnants of war