A terror suspect caused an uproar in the court Saturday by demanding to be beheaded.
During a hearing at the Special Penal Court in Riyadh, the defendant, who is on trial as part of a terrorist cell of 55, sought his execution as soon as the Prosecutor General completed reading out charges against nine of the accused. They were all accused of joining the terror cell formed by Saleh Al-Aufi, who appears on the wanted list released by the Ministry of Interior.
“I agree to all the charges leveled against me as they are correct, so behead me,” the suspect said.
He said he would be satisfied with whatever action is taken by Al-Saud (the royal family). “I have pledged my allegiance to them. I pray for forgiveness and mercy from Allah for the late Prince Naif Bin Abdul Aziz,” he said.
The defendant added that he was suffering from diabetes, hypertension, cardiac and psychiatric disease and had to be hospitalized on several occasions. He said he tried to commit suicide several times.
Another defendant asked the presiding judge not to publish the demands of the Prosecutor General for his execution, as this would affect his family, especially his parents who are very old and suffering from several diseases.
According to the Prosecutor General, the cell planned to carry out terrorist acts targeting the palaces of two senior government officials, the Rabegh oil refinery and a General Intelligence building in Madinah.
The cell of 55 comprised 54 Saudi nationals and a Yemeni.
Other charges leveled against nine of them include embracing Takfiri ideology, sheltering and providing protection to wanted terrorists, transporting a terrorist disguised as a woman, blowing up housing compounds, communicating with wanted terrorists.