18 April 2005	Monday	08 Rabi-ul-Awwal 1426

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RIYADH, April 17: A Saudi national was beheaded on Sunday in the kingdom’s eastern province after he was convicted of murdering two Indians and a Pakistani, the interior ministry said. Abdul Rahman bin Sultan was convicted of robbing and killing a Pakistani Mohammad Ershad and two Indians Senior Mayo and Tido Shankar, as well as injuring another Indian, said a statement on the official SPA agency.

The latest execution takes to 38 the number of beheadings announced by Saudi authorities so far this year, more than the number of executions for the whole of 2004.

Thirty-five people were beheaded in the kingdom in 2004, according to an AFP tally based on official statements. Executions are generally carried out in public in Saudi Arabia. The death penalty is meted out for murder, rape, apostasy, armed robbery and drug trafficking.—AFP