The security units at the Grand Mosque in Mecca were filmed attempting to subdue a man clutching a black bag, a clip that spread across X as a potential suicide bombing.
Saudi General Directorate of Public Security posted on X that the suspect was arrested for harassing passersby and spreading panic, and that there was no truth to the claims.
The ministry added that a probe had been launched into the incident.
The footage had been shared by media outlets, including RT International, which labeled the man a suicide bomber who tried to detonate an explosive vest inside the Kaaba, a claim the ministry refuted.
In unrelated news, the Saudi‑led coalition reported a Houthi drone strike on Medina’s Taibah electricity distribution station, which services the Prophet’s Mosque, prompting condemnation from the Muslim world.
The incident underscores the heightened security concerns for the holy cities amid ongoing tensions in Yemen.