Riyadh, Aug 27 (IANS): As many as eight people have been arrested for luring youth in Saudi Arabia into joining the Islamic State (IS) militant group, the country's interior ministry said here Wednesday.

Interior ministry spokesman Maj. Gen. Mansour Al-Turki said the arrests were made in a security operation in northern Riyadh, Monday, Arab News reported Wednesday.

The crackdown was based on a royal decree issued in March ordering punishment for anyone joining or aiding terrorist or extremist organisations on the Saudi Arabian government's blacklist.

The arrests followed complaints from several parents that their children were being influenced to join or support such groups, Al-Turki said.

"These men used to meet at rest houses and farms close to the town and were frequently visited by youth during their meetings, arousing suspicion among residents, who reported the matter to the interior ministry," the spokesman said.

The eight men had convinced several young people to travel to conflict zones, the report said.

The arrests come in the wake of massive crackdown by authorities in Saudi Arabia where hundreds of terrorists have been sentenced for having links to Al Qaeda and its affiliated organisations.