Ethiopia arrests 34 suspected Al-Shabaab militants

ADDIS ABABA -- The Ethiopia National Intelligence and Security Service (NISS), Ethiopia's main intelligence body announced on Saturday that 34 suspected members of the terror group Al-Shabab have been arrested and accused of terror plots during the holiday season.

In a press statement, NISS said the suspects were arrested during security operations carried out jointly with Somali and Oromia region's security forces.

"The suspects were secretly conspiring and preparing to conduct severe terror attacks in Ethiopia's capital Addis Ababa, Oromia, and Somali regional states at the time of their arrest," the statement said.

"Al-Shabab had chosen the ongoing Islamic Ramadan and Orthodox Christian Easter fasting seasons to destabilize Ethiopia through terror attacks, but the plot has been foiled by the careful monitoring and operations of the security and intelligence bodies," the statement further said.

The NISS statement also said various types of small and heavy-sized weapons, as well as bank account documents, were seized from the home of the suspects.

Al-Shabab is a militant Islamic rebel group mainly operating in conflict-wracked Somalia but has also been implicated in terrorist attacks in several other east African countries.