Saudi Gazette report

RIYADH — A special criminal court in Riyadh sentenced on Wednesday two terrorists to death in connection with the shooting attack in the Al-Dalwah village in the eastern city of Al-Ahsa. They were part of a 12-member terror cell that carried out attacks on unarmed villagers in Al-Ahsa on Nov. 3, 2014.

The court had pronounced verdicts against 10 of them in their presence last Wednesday while the two were not present at the time in the court. The court had handed the death penalty to seven defendants in the case while three others were sentenced to 25-year jail terms each. The court awarded death penalties, including execution and crucifixion, to the first four defendants and the death penalty for defendants No. 6, 7, and 12. The defendants No. 8, 10, and 11 were sentenced to 25-year jail terms, starting from the date of their detention.

Members of the terrorist cell were convicted for their armed attack on the Al-Dalwah village on Muharram 10, 1436, killing eight people including three children, and injuring 12 villagers including seven children.

Subsequent to last week’s verdict, the court on Wednesday found guilty of the charges framed against the defendants No. 5 and 9 by the Public Prosecution and sentenced them to death.

The charges against the two convicts included their association with the first, second, and third defendants in the armed attack on a group of unarmed citizens with the intention of killing them. They also assisted the perpetrators by providing ammunition for the weapons used by the terrorists.

They were also found committing the crimes of embracing the Takfeeri ideology of Kharijites contrary to the Holy Qur’an and the Sunnah permitting bloodletting and armed attack against Muslims, in addition to their fight against God and His Messenger by pursuing sedition on earth.

The defendant No. 5 was also found guilty of pledging allegiance to the leader of the terrorist organization, Daesh (the so-called IS), and to the first accused as the emir of the terrorist organization within the Kingdom. He was also convicted of giving shelter to the first and second defendants in his home, using a private car for their movement, receiving financial support from the leader of the terrorist cell, and carrying out his orders.

The defendant No. 9 was convicted of allotting his rest house to shelter and serve the members of the terrorist cell and securing weapons and ammunition for them. The convict had gone out to Syria to join Daesh, communicated with members and Daesh inside and outside the Kingdom, and was involved in financing terrorist acts.