Regional News

Saudi Arabia on beheading spree

Published Date: May 15, 2007

RIYADH: Four Saudis were beheaded by the sword yesterday after being convicted of rape and murder, while an Iraqi and a Pakistani nationals were executed for drug trafficking, the interior ministry said. The six beheadings-one of the highest numbers of executions in one day-brought to 72 the number of executions announced by the Saudi authorities this year, almost double the figure in 2006.

The four Saudis were among a group of five who lured youngster Fahdbin Mazyad Al-Harbi into an unfinished building where they sodomised him, the ministry said in a statement carried by the SPA state news agency. One attacker tightened a wire around the victim's neck to force him to submit, leading to his death, it said, adding that the culprits all fled, leaving the body to rot.
 
The five were named as Dakheel bin Hussein Al-Nakhli, Fahd bin Jamaan Al-Luhaibi, Mohammad bin Ibrahim Al-Sahli, Raed bin Atallah Al-Luhaibi and Faisal bin Mutair Al-Luhaibi.  Four were executed in the western city of Medina, while the fifth man remains on trial, the statement said. Meanwhile, Iraqi national Hakem Rajouj Mutair Al-Ziyadi was beheaded after being caught red-handed attempting to smuggle an undisclosed amount hashish into the ultra-conservative kingdom using a motorbike, the ministry said. Pakistani national Seraj Mohammad Abdul Mohammad was also beheaded after being convicted of smuggling an undisclosed amount of heroin he had hidden in his stomach. At least 37 people were executed in 2006, while 83 were put to death in 2005 and 35 the year before, according to AFP tallies based on official statements.

Executions are usually carried out in public in Saudi Arabia, which applies a strict form of sharia, or Islamic law. Rape, murder, apostasy, armed robbery and drug trafficking can all carry the death penalty. Saudi Arabia follows a strict interpretation of Islam under which people convicted of murder, drug trafficking, rape and armed robbery can be executed. Beheadings are carried out with a sword in a public square.  - Agencies