2 men get death sentence for decapitating army officer

JEDDAH: Two men were sentenced to death in Riyadh for murdering an intelligence officer nine years ago and a third one was slapped a 30-year prison term for an attempt to kill another officer.
The names of all three defendants were not mentioned but they were described as Al-Qaeda supporters.
The Riyadh Criminal Court found the duo guilty of the charge of decapitating Col. Nasser Al-Othman, an intelligence service officer, while he was on a holiday at his farm near the city of Buraidah, Qassim region, in 2007.
During the hearings, one of the defendant confessed to helping his companion in the assassination of his uncle, Col. Al-Othman, because they viewed him as an apostate.
In its ruling, the court noted that the defendants tied up Al-Othman and severed his head, at the same time filming the murder.
The court also said the third man, who was sentenced to 30 years in jail, plotted to kill the Special Emergency Forces commander in Qassim region.
During the trial, the prosecutor said that the accused had sought to form a terrorist cell in Saudi Arabia and had also provided financial support to Al-Qaeda.
The killings followed a deadly terror campaign by the Al-Qaeda in the kingdom against Western and Saudi targets that killed hundreds of people.
Since stamping out the insurgency, Saudi Arabia has convicted and sentenced hundreds of people to prison or death for militancy. It executed dozens on January 2.
A Justice Ministry spokesman said the court verdict was an initial ruling which was subject to levels of appeal before it can be implemented.
Death sentences must be signed by the king before they are carried out.

(Additional input from Reuters)