RIYADH: Police in Saudi Arabia have foiled an attempt to "burn" the Kaaba, located in the centre of the Grand Mosque in Makkah, a media report said on Tuesday.

According to local daily Sabq, an eyewitness said that he saw a man pour gasoline on the Kaaba, Xinhua news agency reported.

He alerted the police, who arrested the man.

The daily confirmed that the incident occurred at 11 p.m., on Monday.

In May 2016, the police foiled a suicide bomber from reaching the Prophet's Mosque in Madina, leaving the attacker and four police personnel killed.