Lashkar behind Medina bombings?

Since mid-2014, Islamic State carried 26 shooting and bombing attacks in Saudi killing scores of civilians, mostly Americans, Shiites, and security personnel.

About a decade ago, an al-Qaeda module, focused on targeting Westerners in Saudi, killed hundreds as it attacked several Western businesses, camps, and residential compounds.

In 2004, Al-Qaeda carried out an attack on the US Consulate in Jeddah that claimed nine lives.

As the Saudis were about to break their fast on the penultimate day of the holy Ramadan month, multiple suicide attacks rocked the kingdom.

The first attack took place near the US Consulate in Jeddah during the early hours of 4 July.

The other attacks took place after dusk on 4 July in Qatif and Medina cities approximately at the same time.

A suicide bomber tried to attack the US Consulate in Jeddah-Saudi's second largest city during the early hours of 4 July, the American Independence Day.

Reportedly, the bomber arrived in a car and parked it outside a hospital opposite the US Consulate at around 2:15 am (local time).

When two security personnel approached the bomber, he detonated killing himself and wounding the security men.

Eastern Saudi's Qatif city is home to several members of the Shiite minority in the kingdom.

According to reports, at least one and possibly two suicide bomb explosions shook a Shiite mosque in Qatif at around 7 pm (local time).

A security spokesperson confirmed that apart from the bomber, there were no other casualties as most worshippers left the mosque to break their fast.

The final attack also took place at around 7 pm (local time) in Saudi's second most holy city-Medina, at the parking area outside the Prophet's Mosque visited by several pilgrims during Ramadan.

Security personnel reportedly spotted the bomber's suspicious actions in the parking area.

As they confronted the attacker, he detonated his explosive belt killing himself and four security men while injuring five others.

No terror outfit immediately claimed responsibility for the attack.

However, initial findings indicate Islamic State's involvement for the targets coincide with IS' declared enemies- Americans, Shiites, and security services.

The attacks carried out by suspected IS members seem to have been planned to coincide with the worldwide bombings ahead of Eid al-Fitr, the festival that marks the end of the holy month of Ramadan.

Saudi's Internal Ministry released an official statement, in which it identified the Jeddah bomber as a Pakistani working in the kingdom as a driver for over 12 years.

Abdullah Qalzar Khan, the attacker, was a 34-year-old living with his wife and her parents near Jeddah.

According to some media reports, the Medina attacker was also a Pakistani; Pakistan didn't comment on this issue yet.

Muslim leaders across the world condemned the recent bombings in Saudi Arabia and called upon the Muslim world to unite against jihadist forces.

Egypt's foreign ministry stated that the attack on Medina proved that terrorists "know nothing of religion, belief or humanity."

Saudi Arabia's anti-terror Chief Prince Mohammed bin Nayef bin Abdulaziz assured citizens that "the security of the homeland is at its highest."

Saudi Arabia stated that 12 of the 19 people apprehended in connection with the multiple blasts that rocked the country were Pakistanis.

They added that they identified the attacker who blew himself up in Medina as a 26 year old Saudi national.

They said investigations were underway and that several more arrests could be expected in coming weeks.

The EU Parliament's Vice President Ryszard Czarneck has alleged that the Lashkar-e-Toiba's NGO, Falah-e-Insaniyat was responsible for the Medina bombings.

He pointed to a correlated increase in ISIS activity and LeT activity in West Asia over the last 3 years.

He further alleged that the LeT was using the NGO to spread communal tension and to indoctrinate innocent Muslims into the ways of Jihad.