Saudi Arabia denies suicide bomber reports at Grand Mosque in Mecca

Dubai: Saudi authorities have denied reports that a suicide bomber was detained at the Grand Mosque in Mecca, saying security forces instead arrested a man accused of harassing passersby and causing fear and panic.

Public Security said officers in Mecca dealt with the man immediately, completed the necessary legal procedures and referred him to the Public Prosecution. Authorities did not disclose his identity or provide further details about the incident. 

The clarification followed the widespread circulation of a video on social media. Several accounts shared the footage alongside claims that the man was a suicide bomber wearing an explosive vest who had attempted to approach the Kaaba before being stopped by security personnel. Saudi authorities said those claims were false. 

Public Security stressed that there was “no truth” to the accounts circulating about the incident and urged the public to obtain information from official sources rather than rely on unverified posts.