Masked men firebomb Saudi intelligence building in Qatif

A group of masked men threw firebombs at an intelligence service compound in the city of Qatif in eastern Saudi Arabia.

A Saudi Interior Ministry spokesperson said: “There was a failed terrorist attempt to burn the building with Molotov cocktails”, adding that one of the assailants was captured, Reuters reported.

Video footage posted on social media showed several masked young men moving under the cover of darkness and lobbing firebombs over the protective outer wall of a compound.

Most of the firebombs were seen exploding on the ground inside, setting a nearby tree on fire.

The authenticity of the footage could not immediately be confirmed.

It was not initially clear who was behind the attack. However, the recording contained a footnote indicating that it was carried out by Shia youth seeking to avenge the execution of prominent Saudi Shia cleric Sheikh Nimr Al-Nimr who was executed last week.

Al-Nimr was convicted in May 2014 of sedition, rioting, protesting and robbery.

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