Saudi forces have neutralized a heavily armed "extremist" in an exchange of gunfire in the city of al-Bukayriyah, the interior ministry said early Thursday.
The ministry spokesman said in a statement that the authorities managed to locate Fawaz Abdulrahman Eid Al-Harbi and cornered him near the Souq neighborhood after receiving information that he was planning to carry out a terrorist attack.
Al-Harbi, who had embraced the ideology of ISIS, was wearing what appeared to be an explosives-laden belt, the spokesman said.
He was wounded in an exchange of gunfire with security forces and taken to hospital.
No passersby or policemen were injured in the incident.
Al-Harbi was found to be in possession of a machine gun, a pistol and multiple rounds of ammunition, the statement added.
The spokesman stressed that the authorities would deal firmly with anyone seeking to tamper with the security of the country, its citizens and residents.
