Islamic State Claims Responsibility For Second Saudi Attack

By Scott Neuman / NPR

Published May 29, 2015 at 4:55 AM PDT

This story was published more than 9 years ago.

Members of the Saudi security services inspect the site of a car bomb attack targeting Shiite Saudis attending Friday prayers at a mosque in Dammam, Saudi Arabia.

The Saudi branch of the self-declared Islamic State has claimed responsibility for a second suicide bomb attack in as many weeks on a Shiite mosque in the kingdom.

At least four people — including the person thought to be the driver of the car bomb — were killed in the attack, which took place during Friday prayers at the al-Anoud mosque in Dammam in Saudi Arabia's Eastern Province.

The Islamic State said its "Najd Province" affiliate was responsible for the bloodshed. The BBC reports that in an online statement, ISIS said "a soldier of the Caliphate," identified as Abu Jandal al-Jazrawi, carried out the bombing.

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As we reported just a week ago, a similar targeting of a Shiite mosque killed at least 19 people. It was the first-ever attack in the kingdom in which Islamic State extremists claimed responsibility.

In today's attack, the Saudi Press Agency, SPA, said that security forces became suspicious of a car parked near the mosque and went to investigate it when the explosion occurred.