By Mariam Al-Jaber

THE body of Shiite Sheikh Mohammed A-Jirani, who was kidnapped a year ago by Al-Awamiya terrorists in the Eastern Province, was found on Tuesday in Qatif during a security raid.

Jirani was kidnapped in December last year in front of his home on Tarout Island. At the time, security forces arrested three men who were monitoring Jirani. They also identified three of his kidnappers: Mohammed Hussein Ali Al-Ammar, Maytham Ali Mohammed Al-Qodeihi and Ali Bilal Saud Al-Hamad. All three are still wanted by the authorities.

Security officer Khaled Al-Sammatti was martyred during the security raid on Tuesday in the town of Awamiyah in Qatif and a wanted terrorist identified as Salman Ali Salman Al-Farj was killed in the exchange of gunfire.

Jirani’s body was found buried near the site of the raid.

Relatives of the judge however said they were waiting for the results of a DNA test to be conducted on the body to confirm his identity. They said they were in constant touch with the security authorities to reveal the mystery behind the body.

Before his abduction on Dec. 13, 2016, Jirani was targeted several times. His house and car were set on fire in 2011 while his family was home and they miraculously survived. In 2012, assailants attacked his home again but failed to storm it, and they fled the scene before police arrived.

Jirani had made several important remarks such as his statements to MBC channel in October 2016 when he criticized some Qatif residents for sending Zakat to Iran, Iraq and Lebanon instead of distributing it to the people in their city.

He had also condemned attacks against security forces, voiced his rejection of using influential platforms to criticize the state and attack it and slammed those who exploit the youth and involve them in strife and protests. — Al-Arabiya English