Dubai , United Arab Emirates ( CNN ) -- Security forces in Saudi Arabia have arrested 149 people alleged to be members of al Qaeda , the Saudi Interior Ministry said Friday . Gen. Mansour al-Turki , Interior Ministry spokesman , said the people were plotting to kill government officials , security forces , and media employees . `` Their general motives are spreading an ideology of hate by calling others disbelievers , collecting money to finance the deviant al Qaeda group inside and outside the kingdom , easing travel for some individuals for training in destabilized places and executing criminal plots to spread chaos and insecurity . '' al-Turki said . The arrests occurred over an eight-month period , and the people seized were dispersed among 19 active terrorist cells throughout the kingdom . Security forces found 2.24 million riyals ( or about $ 600,000 ) among the cells . Saudi state-run TV reports said of the 149 people , 124 were Saudi nationals . There were also Yemenis and Egyptians . The cells have external links , al-Turki said , a reference to al Qaeda in Yemen , Somalia and Afghanistan . The people were involved in collecting money and financing terrorism , targeting oil refineries and government buildings , weapons training , and making hand grenades . Al-Turki said the suspects were trying to using the hajj , or Muslim pilgrimage , season to create unrest and pursue recruiting . The suspects pursued internet recruiting , and used nicknames in their recruiting efforts . Some of the names included God 's beloved , the killer , the immigrant lion , the newcomer , and the daughter of beloved Najid . Among those arrested was a woman , who was sent back to her family after she was seized . CNN 's Rima Maktabi contributed to this report .
The arrests occurred over an eight - day period . Most of those arrested were militants . The militants tried to sow unrest during the day , officials say .