Saudi Arabia executes 81 people for terrorism-related offences

Death sentences were handed down for plotting violence in the kingdom

Saudi Arabia executed 81 people, some of whom had links to ISIS and Al Qaeda. Getty

Saudi Arabia said on Saturday it executed 81 people in one day for terrorism-related offences.

All of them were “found guilty of committing multiple heinous crimes”, the state Saudi Press Agency said.

They included people with links to ISIS, Al Qaeda, Yemen’s Houthi rebels and “other terrorist organisations".

They were sentenced for plotting attacks in the kingdom, including plans to kill “a large number” of civilians and members of the security forces, the SPA said.

“They also include convictions for targeting government personnel and vital economic sites, the killing of law enforcement officers and maiming their bodies, and planting landmines to attack police vehicles.

“The convictions include crimes of kidnapping, torture, rape, smuggling arms and bombs into the kingdom,” SPA said.

Of the 81 people put to death, 73 were Saudis, seven were Yemeni and one was Syrian.

SPA said all those executed were tried in Saudi courts, in proceedings overseen by 13 judges held over three separate stages for each individual.

“The kingdom will continue to take a strict and unwavering stance against terrorism and extremist ideologies that threaten stability,” it said.