Dammam – Obaid al-Suheimy

Saudi security authorities arrested in the al-Qatif region on Wednesday Mohammed Hussein Al Ammar, one of the most wanted fugitives in the Kingdom.

Security forces arrested him following a shootout after they had surrounded his hideout in the al-Bukhari neighborhood. Reports said he was accompanied by a number of people during the raid. One was critically injured during the operation.

Informed sources told Asharq Al-Awsat that security forces had monitored the activity of several fugitives inside the Qatif province and managed to surround them inside a residential building.

Al Ammar was eventually forced to surrender to the security forces.

The detainee had masterminded the kidnapping of Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdullah Al-Jirani, judge at the Endowments and Inheritance Department, in 2017.

The victim was kidnapped from in front of his house in the town of Tarout. The criminals then killed him and hid his body in an abandoned farms area in Salhiya.

Al Ammar had ordered Abdullah Ali Al Darwish, Mazen Al Qaba and Mustafa Salman Al Sihwan to monitor the judge for two weeks. Then Al Ammar, along with Maitham Al Qadihi and Ali Bilal Al Hamad, abducted Al-Jirani.

Al Ammar is wanted for several terrorist crimes, including shooting at security forces and targeting patrols in the eastern province. He is also wanted for armed robbery of vehicles and attacking police in Qatif.

Saeed Al-Jirani, the judge’s brother, expressed to Asharq Al-Awsat his relief that the fugitive was arrested.

“We believe that everyone who tampered with the security of the nation will be punished,” he added.