January 03, 2015

Saudi Arabia executes 47 on terrorism charges

Shia leader Nimr al-Nimr, who led anti-government protests, and al-Qaeda figure Faris al-Zahrani among those executed.

Al Jazeera Staff
03 Jan 2016 04:57 GMT
Middle East , Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia's interior ministry says it has executed 47 "terrorists", including Shia religious leader Nimr al-Nimr and a convicted al-Qaeda leader Faris al-Zahrani.

In a press statement read out on state TV on Saturday, the Saudi ministry listed the names of all those it said were already convicted on charges of terrorism.

The executions led to protests in a number of countries on Saturday, including Iran - where demonstrators broke into the Saudi embassy and started fires.

The death sentence given to Nimr al-Nimr, who led anti-government protests in the country's east, was confirmed by the Supreme Court in October.

Faris al-Zahrani had been in custody ever since his detention near the Yemeni border in 2004 [YouTube]

He was convicted of sedition, disobedience and bearing arms. Nimr did not deny the political charges against him, but said he never carried weapons or called for violence.

Many of the other men executed had been linked to attacks in the kingdom between 2003 and 2006, blamed on al-Qaeda.

Click on Link:
http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2016/01/saudi-announces-execution-47-terrorists-160102072458873.html