RIYADH, Aug 2: Saudi security forces have arrested three fugitive militants in the northern Qassim province, the scene of last week’s shootout that left two policemen and six nationals with links to Al Qaeda dead, a newspaper reported on Saturday.

Okaz did not identify the three detained men, all Saudi nationals, who are currently undergoing police interrogation.

Since the May 12 suicide bombings of Western residential compounds in Riyadh that left 35 people dead, including several bombers, Saudi Arabia has arrested 144 people with suspected ties to militants.

This is in addition to more than 300 arrests of suspected militants following the Sept 11, 2001 attacks in the United States.

Interior Minister Prince Nayef bin Abdul Aziz said the majority of those arrested since 9/11 had received training at Al Qaeda camps in Afghanistan, while a minority had been trained on farms in Saudi Arabia.—AFP