Bahrain Mirror: The Bahraini Ministry of Interior said in an official statement on Sunday (September 18, 2016), that the 13 Bahraini pilgrims arrested in Saudi Arabia, were kept in custody for violating the procedures of pilgrimage permits, and not for terrorism-related charges.

"As part of the implementation of security agreement ratified between the GCC countries, and in the framework of information exchange between them, the Ministry of Interior contacted and followed up with its counterpart in KSA regarding the news of arresting 13 pilgrims during the Hajj season," said the ministry.

The ministry further noted in its statement that the arrests apparently were not made "for terrorism-related reasons as newspapers circulated, but rather because they [the arrested Bahrainis] violated procedures and did not get access permits. This was revealed at one of Mecca's checkpoints, which led them to adopt the legal procedures designated in this regard."

The Interior Ministry confirmed that three of the arrested Bahraini nationals were released, "a man and two women", and that it is still following up the matter with the Saudi security bodies.

Arabic Version