Saudi Gazette

DAMMAM — The decomposed body which was found buried on a farm in Al-Awamiyah in the Eastern Province last week is that of the kidnapped judge Mohammed Bin Abdullah Al-Jirani, the spokesman of the Interior Ministry said on Monday.

He said the body was found buried in a deserted farm called Al-Salihiyah which has an area of about two million square meters.

The spokesman said the kidnappers took the judge to the farm where they tortured him before shooting him dead and burying his body.

He said wanted terrorist Salman Bin Ali Salman Al-Faraj and his half brother Zaki Mohammed Salman Al-Faraj kidnapped and murdered the judge.

During a shootout last Tuesday, Zaki Al-Faraj was arrested, but Salman Al-Faraj was killed as he resisted arrest and opened fire at security forces.

Sergeant Khaled Mohammed Al-Samti was martyred during the operation.

The spokesman said the DNA test conducted on the family members by forensic police doctors proved that the body belonged to the missing judge who was kidnapped on Dec. 13, 2016, by a number of masked gunmen.

The Interior Ministry announced in a statement at the time that three people were arrested in connection with the case because they were watching the movements of the judge before he was kidnapped.

They were: Abdullah Ali Ahmed Al-Dirweesh (25), Mazen Ali Ahmed (40) and Mustapha Ahmed Salman Al-Sahwanb (25).

The ministry also said three other terrorists suspected of kidnapping the judge were on the run. It said the three of them were on the list of the 23 most wanted terrorists.

According to the ministry, the terrorists at large were Mohammed Hussain Ali Al-Ammar, Maitham Ali Mohammed Al-Qidaihji and Ali Bilal Saud Al-hamad.

Al-Jirani was appointed judge for endowments and inheritance in Qatif on Oct. 11, 2010. He survived three attempts on his life which resulted in damage to some of his properties.

In 2011, his house and car were set on fire and members of his family barely escaped the flames.

In 2012, his house was attacked again by armed men who failed to capture him.

The outspoken judge used to criticize Iran publicly.

The Ministry of Interior spokesman stressed that the security authorities will continue to confront terrorists.

He called on those who have information about those wanted for their involvement in this crime including Muhammad Hussein Ali Al Ammar, Maitham Ali Mohamed Al-Qaddaih and Ali Bilal Saud Al-Hamad to call 990.

Informers will be entitled to rewards announced earlier.