Saudi identifies bomber as ISIS collaborator

Saudi Arabia yesterday confirmed the suicide bomber who killed 21 worshippers at a Shia mosque had links with the Islamic State group (ISIS), in what the interior ministry called an attempt to promote sectarian strife.

It was the deadliest attack in years to strike the Sunni-dominated kingdom, and marked the first time ISIS officially claimed an attack in Saudi Arabia.

"His name was Salih bin Abdulrahman Salih al-Ghishaami, a Saudi national," the interior ministry said in a statement.

"He was wanted by security services for belonging to a terrorist cell receiving directions from Daesh (ISIS) abroad," it said. "The cell was discovered last month, and so far 26 of its members, all Saudi nationals, have been arrested," it added.