Saudi Arabia beheads 37 prisoners for alleged terrorism crimes

Saudi Arabia on Tuesday beheaded 37 of its citizens, including crucifying one, alleging that they participated in crimes related to terrorism. 

The body and severed head of one person killed in the mass execution was pinned to a pole as a warning to other people, The Associated Press reported. 

{mosads} Saudi Arabia’s King Salman approved the beheadings in a royal decree. The Interior Ministry said those who were killed had extremist ideologies and had created terrorist cells, the AP reported. It also said the prisoners were found guilty and ordered killed by a court specializing in terrorism trials as well as by Saudi Arabia’s high court.

The ministry noted that all the executions were carried out in accordance with Islamic law, and indicated that all those killed were beheaded, according to the AP.

Tuesday’s mass execution was the country’s biggest in a single day since 47 people were executed on Jan. 2, 2016. The 2016 incident marked the largest number of executions in a day since the 1980s. So far this year, 95 people have been executed by the kingdom. 

The latest executions follow an attack in Sri Lanka in which more than 300 people, including two Saudis, were killed. ISIS claimed responsibility for the attack. Four ISIS members were also killed on Sunday while attempting to attack a security building in Saudi Arabia. 

–Updated 4:40 p.m.