Saudi Arabia executes 47 terrorism convicts

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia executed 47 people on Saturday for terrorism, mostly suspected Al-Qaeda members, Interior Ministry said in a statement broadcast on state television.
State television showed footage of the aftermath of Al-Qaeda attacks in the last decade, media reported.
Saudi Grand Mufti Sheikh Abdulaziz Al-Asheikh appeared on television soon after to describe the executions as just.
In a joint press conference by the Ministry of Interior and the Ministry of Justice, it was announced the terrorists were executed for their actions and not for their affiliations.
The executions were carried out inside prisons across the Kingdom and implemented through firing squad or by the sword. There were no photos or video footage of the exection as it’s prohibited by law.
The executions reflect Saudi Arabia’s determination to combat terror and come just weeks after the Kingdom’s initiative to form an Islamic Military Alliance against terror.
Ministry of Interior spokesman Mansour Al-Turki said,
“Kingdom condemns all forms of terrorism and considers these acts as the worse kind of corruption.” Highlighting the seriousness the Kingdom views terrorism, he added,
“Security forces will waste no effort in combatting anyone involved with these terrorist groups,” said Al-Turki.
Warning Saudi youth, in particular, not to associate with these types of deviant groups, Al-Turki said, “These groups will use you as tools to undermine the security and stability of Saudi Arabia.”
Responding to criticism of the Saudi justice system, Al-Turki said, “The Kingdom follows the Sharia and rejects any outside interference in our judicial system.”
A special court to handle terror-related actions in Saudi Arabia, which was established in 2008, has dealt with 2225 cases involving 6122 suspects. Of the 55 death sentences ruled by the court since that time, four were overturned upon appeal. There are currently 179 individuals whose cases are still open.
163 individuals have been acquitted of all charges by the court and have received a total of SR15,250,00 of compensation between them.
Saudi suspects are given legal representation upon their request at government expense. For any non-Saudi suspects or victims, their embassy is always involved in the court proceedings.
Prominent Shia cleric Nimr Al-Nimr and a leading Al-Qaeda figure Faris Al-Ashuwail were among those executed, the ministry said.
Saudis made up the bulk of those executed; 45 terrorists, and the other two were from Chad and Egypt.
The men were convicted of plotting and carrying out terrorist attacks targeting civilians and security forces in Saudi Arabia and neighboring countries.
The simultaneous execution of 47 people on security grounds was the biggest mass execution for such offenses in Saudi Arabia since the 1980 killing of 63 militants who seized Makkah’s Grand Mosque in 1979.
Saudi Arabia in 2015 suffered a series of further bombing and shooting attacks by terrorists. Earlier in that year, a mosque in the Eastern Province was bombed and an attack on a second thwarted by security volunteers. Both incidents were claimed by Daesh.

SPA has published the following names:

1- Ameen Mohammed Abdullah Al Aqala - Saudi nationality.
2- Anwar Abdulrahman Khalil Al-Najjar - Saudi nationality.
3- Badr bin Mohammed bin Abdullah Al-Badr- Saudi nationality.
4- Bandar Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Ghaith - Saudi nationality.
5- Hassan Hadi bin Shuja'a Al-Masareer - Saudi nationality.
6- Hamad bin Abdullah bin Ibrahim Al-Humaidi- Saudi nationality
7- Khalid Mohammed Ibrahim Al-Jarallah - Saudi nationality
8- Ridha Abdulrahman Khalil Al-Najjar- Saudi nationality
9- Saad Salamah Hameer - Saudi nationality
10- Salah bin Saeed bin Abdulraheem Al-Najjar - Saudi nationality
11- Salah bin Abdulrahman bin Mohammed Al Hussain -Saudi nationality
12- Saleh bin Abdulrahman bin Ibrahim Al-Shamsan - Saudi nationality
13- Saleh bin Ali bin Saleh Al-Juma'ah - Saudi nationality
14- Adel bin Saad bin Jaza' Al-Dhubaiti - Saudi nationality
15- Adel Mohammed Salem Abdullah Yamani - Saudi nationality
16- Abduljabbar bin Homood bin Abdulaziz Al-Tuwaijri - Saudi nationality
17- Abdulrahman Dhakheel Faleh Al-Faleh - Saudi nationality
18- Abdullah Sayer Moawadh Massad Al-Mohammadi - Saudi nationality
19- Abdullah bin Saad bin Mozher Shareef - Saudi nationality
20- Abdullah Saleh Abdulaziz Al-Ansari - Saudi nationality
21- Abdullah Abdulaziz Ahmed Al-Muqrin - Saudi nationality
22- Abdullah Musalem Hameed Al-Raheef - Saudi nationality
23- Abdullah bin Mua'ala bin A'li - Saudi nationality
24- Abdulaziz Rasheed bin Hamdan Al-Toaili'e - Saudi nationality
25- Abdulmohsen Hamad bin Abdullah Al-Yahya - Saudi nationality
26- Isam Khalaf Mohammed Al-Mothri'e - Saudi nationality
27- Ali Saeed Abdullah Al Ribeh - Saudi nationality
28- Ghazi Mohaisen Rashed - Saudi nationality
29- Faris Ahmed Jama'an Al Showail - Saudi nationality
30- Fikri Ali bin Yahya Faqih - Saudi nationality
31- Fahd bin Ahmed bin Hanash Al Zamel - Saudi nationality
32- Fahd Abdulrahman Ahmed Al-Buraidi - Saudi nationality
33- Fahd Ali Ayedh Al Jubran - Saudi nationality
34- Majed Ibrahim Ali Al-Mughainem - Saudi nationality
35- Majed Moeedh Rashed - Saudi nationality
36- Mishaal bin Homood bin Juwair Al-Farraj - Saudi nationality
37- Mohammed Abdulaziz Mohammed Al-Muharib - Saudi nationality
38- Mohammed Ali Abdulkarim Suwaymil - Saudi nationality
39- Mohammed Fathi Abula'ti Al-Sayed - Egyptian nationality
40- Mohammed bin Faisal bin Mohammed Al-Shioukh - Saudi nationality
41- Mostafa Mohammed Altaher Abkar - Chadian nationality
42- Moaidh Mufreh Ali Al Shokr- Saudi nationality
43- Nasser Ali Ayedh Al Jubran - Saudi nationality
44- Naif Saad Abdullah Al-Buraidi - Saudi nationality
45- Najeeb bin abdulaziz bin Abdullah Al-Bohaiji - Saudi nationality
46- Nimr Baqer Ameen Al-Nimr- Saudi nationality
47- Nimr Sehaj Zeid Al-Kraizi - Saudi nationality

Citing the Interior Ministry, SPA said the above-mentioned criminals committed the following crimes. The following is an exact version of the SPA text:

First: Embracing Takfiri beliefs (accusing others of being infidels), which include doctrines of 'Khawarj', (a misguided and violent sect) against the Holy Quran, Prophetic Sunnah and consensus of righteous predecessors. They promoted their ideologies through deceitful methods and various means. These individuals also were part of terrorist organizations, implementing criminal plans through: bombing 'Al-Hamra Housing Complex', 'Vinnell Housing Complex' as well as 'Ishbilia Housing Complex' in Eastern Riyadh on 11\3\1424, storming complex of 'Arabian Company for Petroleum Investment' (APICORP), 'Petroleum Center Company' and 'AL-Waha Housing Complex' in Khobar Province, Eastern Region, on 11\4\1425H by using hand-made bombs and various fire arms, killing and wounding a number of citizens, security men and residents and mutilating their bodies, targeting a number of housing complexes in different parts of the Kingdom with initiating of acts of bombing, poisoning the public water supply, kidnapping a number of residents with the intention of killing them and mutilating their bodies, manufacturing and smuggling explosions into the Kingdom, possessing home-made and exported arms and bombs as well as possessing highly explosive materials, grenades and rockets.

Second: Targeting sites of the security and military agencies by: bombing the building of 'Public Traffic Administration' in Riyadh city on 2\3\1425H, two bombings targeting of headquarters of 'the Ministry of Interior' and 'Emergency Forces' on 17\11\1425H which led to the martyrdom of a number of security men and citizens. The commencement of targeting 'King Khaled Air Base' in Khamis Mushait Province, 'Prince Sultan Air Base' in Kharj Province, 'Civil Airport' in Arar Province and a number of kidnapping and killing operations against security forces; calling for the shooting of security forces by fire arms and throwing Molotov bombs at them while they performed their duties in maintaining society's security and protecting its interests. They have also supported and encouraged armed sabotage acts on the streets and public areas.

Third: Their plans to damage the nation's economy and harm the Kingdom's status, its relations and interests with brotherly and friendly countries by: storming 'the U.S. Consulate' in Jeddah Province on 24\10\1425H which led to the martyrdom of four members of the security forces, targeting 'Buqaia Refinery ' in Buqaia Province on 25\1\1427H, which resulted in the martyrdom of two members of the security forces; the commencement of targeting a number of foreign embassies and consulates, bombing 'Saudi Aramco' and a number of petroleum facilities. They also have initiated a number of armed robberies on banks and commercial stores, committed a number of fraud crimes which resulted in collecting large amounts of money and utilizing it internally and externally for money laundering purposes for financing terrorism and terrorist operations. They were also calling for chaos and provoking acts of violence, inciting disorder and anarchy, and spreading terrorist propaganda, and encouraging terrorist activities in the brotherly states and supporting these acts publically, and violating public law.