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Saudi court sentences 3 to death over terrorism charges

Xinhua, December 1, 2016 Adjust font size:

A Saudi court on Wednesday sentenced to death three Saudi people from the restive Qatif region in eastern the kingdom over terrorism charges, Al Arabiya News reported.

A fourth man was sentenced to 12 years in jail. The four were convicted with joining an extremist group in Qatif, using arms, attacking police and a prison headquarters.

Qatif is one of few cities in Saudi Arabia that are populated with the minority Shiite community.

Groups of Shiite youths are engaged in riot and vandalism, as well as attacks against police personnel demanding more rights in the conservative Sunni state.

Last month, three policemen escaped unhurt a heavy shooting against their police patrol in Qatif.

A similar attack against a security checkpoint occurred in September in the same region, in which a Saudi in his 40s was shot in his leg while he was driving.

Besides Shiite citizens, supporters of the Islamic State (IS) militant group in many parts of the kingdom are carrying out similar attacks against police personnel. Endit