Saudi Arabia executes man who killed soldier while he was praying

Jeddah - The killer confessed to his crime and admitted his affiliation with Daesh.

A man convicted of killing a Saudi soldier while he was performing the Fajr prayer has been executed, the country's Ministry of Interior said in a statement on Wednesday.

The Ministry stated that Walid Sami Al-Zuhairi, an Egyptian national, committed the crime against Hadi bin Misfir Al-Qahtani, a soldier in the security patrols in Jeddah, while the latter was in the prayer hall of a petrol station.

It stated that Al-Zuhairi did so with misguided terrorist motives.

The perpetrator took advantage of the soldier being alone inside the prayer hall and surprised him by stabbing him several times before fleeing the scene.

The authorities were able to arrest him and seize the weapon used in the crime. The killer confessed to his crime and admitted his affiliation with Daesh.

The criminal court charged the defendant with murder and affiliation with a terrorist group and sentenced him to death.

It also reiterated that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is committed to preserve security and achieve justice against anyone who commits heinous crimes against others.