Saudi partygoers betrayed by flagpole

Saudi police have detained six people for the "crime" of attending a mixed-sex party at an apartment in Jeddah, Okaz newspaper reports.

The arrests – which were the result on some interesting detective work – reveal that the kingdom's police are in a high state of readiness "to deal with any contrary behaviour", according to the paper.

Scenes from the party filmed on a mobile phone had been posted on YouTube in a 47-second video clip which has since had more than 200,000 views.

Unfortunately for the merrymakers, the film included glimpses through the window of a well-known landmark: the Jeddah Flagpole which, at 170 metres, is said to be the tallest in the world.

From this, the paper says, investigators were able to work out the approximate location of the party and then to identify the exact apartment from furniture seen in the video.

Three of those arrested are said to be "women of Arab nationality" and the organiser of the party, reportedly a non-Saudi Arab, is thought to have fled abroad.

Okaz's report is in Arabic but the Khaleej Times has an account in English.

Meanwhile, the ever-vigilant police seem to be having less success in other areas. On Monday, the interior ministry said it has "no credible data about the exact whereabouts" of 297 Saudi terrorists.

Screen grab from the party video. The flagpole can be seen in the background.