On August 27, 2009 in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, a suicide bomber tried to assassinate the Assistant Interior Minister of Saudi Arabia, Prince Muhammad bin Nayef.

The suicide bomber, it is reported, had hidden the improvised explosive device (IED) in his rectum and activated it once close to the Prince.

The suicide bomber was a well-known Saudi terrorist belonging to the terrorist organisation Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), operating in Yemen; the perpetrator had claimed that he had renounced terrorism and wanted to be reintegrated in Saudi Arabia. According to reports, the attacker Abdullah Hassan Talea’ Asiri, wanted to surrender on Ramadan to Prince Muhammad bin Naif.

Asiri, escorted by security, was transported to Jeddah, where he met with the Prince at his palace. During the meeting with the Prince, Asiri activated the explosive charge and blew himself up;. The terrorist died and the Prince was the only person injured in the terrorist attack.

Reports also indicated that prior to meeting the Prince, the terrorist spent over 30 hours with the Saudi security services and was cleared to greet the prince. The operation was ‘sophisticated’ as this was the first time authorities had come across someone carrying IED in the rectum.