Al-Qaeda terrorists suspected of plotting spectacular suicide attacks using hijacked aircraft against Western military bases in the Gulf were foiled by a huge security sweep yesterday, Saudi Arabian authorities said.

The kingdom’s police arrested 172 terrorist suspects, seized large quantities of weapons and netted more than $30 million (£15 million) in cash from the conspirators, according to Saudi officials.

The alleged plot bore chilling echoes to the 9/11 attacks that were carried out by 19 mainly Saudi suicide hijackers.

Saudi officials said that some of the terrorists had taken advantage of the chaos in neighbouring Iraq to train — rein-forcing fears among Western intelligence officials that the war-torn country is spawning a new generation of deadly and battle-hardened terrorists.

“One of their main targets was to carry out suicide attacks against public figures and oil installations and to target military bases inside and outside [the country],” the Saudi Interior Ministry said in a statement.

“Some had begun training on the use of weapons, and some were sent to other countries to study aviation in preparation to use them to carry out terrorist operations inside the country.”

Any airborne terror attack from the oil-rich kingdom would put British warships in the Gulf at risk as well as the 7,100 British forces in the nearby southern Iraqi city of Basra. America’s mighty Bahrain-based 5th Fleet could also be a target for a terrorist spectacular.

Al-Qaeda has long called for attacks on key Saudi oil installations to undermine the kingdom’s economy and hit Western energy supplies. News of the arrests helped push up oil prices by 52 cents to more than $68 a barrel.

Saudi television showed footage of security personnel smashing floor tiles in a house to unearth sealed tubes containing weapons, including rocket-propelled grenades and machineguns. They were shown retrieving suitcases full of cash, computers and communication equipment from the house.

Saudi officials said that the suspects belonged to seven cells, although it was unclear how many of the 172 could be hardcore suspects and how many were associates.

Times Recommends

• Rio Tinto four held as China prepares case
• Diplomats must keep heads down and trousers up
• When in Rome should one make like Berlusconi?