Metro
Saudi executes two Bahrainis on terrorism charges
Saudi Arabia has put to death two Bahrainis accused of plotting terrorist operations, state media said on Monday, raising the number of similar executions to nine this month.
The Bahraini nationals, identified as Jaafar Sultan and Sadiq Thamer, had been charged with “joining a terrorist cell led by a man wanted in Bahrain”, the official Saudi Press Agency (SPA) said.
There was no immediate reaction from Bahraini authorities.
Since May 2 Saudi Arabia, one of the world’s most prolific users of the death penalty, has executed nine terrorism convicts, all but one in the eastern region where the Shiite minority is concentrated.
There have been more than 40 executions in Saudi Arabia so far this year, according to an AFP tally based on state media reports.
In 2022, Saudi Arabia executed 147 people — including 81 on a single day for terrorism-related offences, an event that sparked an international outcry.
The two Bahrainis “received training in camps belonging to terrorist entities aiming to destabilise the security of Saudi Arabia and Bahrain”, SPA added.
They were also accused of aiding “terrorists” in Saudi Arabia by smuggling explosive materials and supporting plans to carry out terrorist attacks in the kingdom and neighbouring Bahrain.
Bahrain’s main Shiite opposition group Al-Wefaq condemned the executions as a “crime”.
– ‘Torture-tainted confessions’ –
“These executions are arbitrary as the two men were subjected to coerced confessions under torture which were then used as evidence against them during an unfair trial, a practice prohibited under international law,” said Sayed Ahmed al-Wadaei, director at the Bahrain Institute for Rights and Democracy.
Riyadh “feels they are immune from any consequences” and Manama is “complicit” for failing to intervene on the men’s behalf, he added.
According to Amnesty International, Sultan and Thamer were arrested in Saudi Arabia on May 8, 2015. They were sentenced to death in October 2021 following “a deeply flawed trial based on torture-tainted confessions”, the rights group said last May.
In June 2022, the UN special rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions sent a letter to Saudi authorities, urging them to “halt any possible step towards the execution” of the two men and “ensure that they are re-tried in conformity with international law and standards”.
More than 1,000 death sentences have been implemented since King Salman assumed power in 2015, according to a report published earlier this year by Reprieve and the European-Saudi Organisation for Human Rights.
Bahrain has also carried out executions in recent years for terrorism-related offences. Bahrain accuses Iran of supporting and harbouring terrorists — a charge Tehran denies.
Majority-Sunni Saudi Arabia sent troops to Sunni-led Bahrain to crack down on a mainly Shiite protest movement that kicked off in 2011, inspired by revolutions in Tunisia and Egypt.
The recent rise in executions in Saudi Arabia comes as the kingdom, known for its strict interpretation of Islamic sharia law, has been trying to soften its image through sweeping social and economic changes as part of its “Vision 2030” reform agenda.
Customers of Zenith Bank have taken to social media to voice their frustration over difficulties encountered during online banking transactions.
Reports emerged on Tuesday of challenges related to payments and various features, leading to widespread discontent among users on social media platforms like X.
In a statement shared on X on Saturday, Zenith Bank announced that routine maintenance would commence on September 29 and conclude on October 1, running from 12:01 AM to 5:00 AM. The notice, titled ‘Notice of Routine Maintenance,’ stated, “Please be informed that we are currently undertaking routine maintenance of our Information Technology Infrastructure to enable us to significantly improve the quality of service rendered to you.”
However, customers reported that the maintenance did not begin as scheduled, causing considerable inconvenience.
On Tuesday, October 1, 2024, the bank’s Mobile Banking App, USSD Service, Internet Banking, and Corporate Internet Banking platforms remained unavailable for an extended period, specifically between 12:01 AM and 2:30 PM WAT.
One dissatisfied customer, Adetunji Akeem, expressed his frustration, sharing that he was unable to withdraw money for food and transportation to work, which forced him to borrow from colleagues.
“It is frustrating. I haven’t eaten all day because I wasn’t able to withdraw money today. Zenith said they would be undergoing maintenance on Saturday through a pop-up message on the bank app, but they didn’t start until this morning,” he lamented.
Another customer, Adeleye A. P., known on X as #deji4ever, criticised the bank for not scheduling maintenance during the night, especially at the end of the month when many employees are expecting their salaries.
He tweeted, “The worst bank award should be given to Zenith. Why deny customers transfer privileges to other banks on the last day of the month? It’s a bad business strategy to ensure money doesn’t leave its coffers.”
Dave Oriss, tweeting under the handle #orissonline, echoed similar sentiments, adding, “#ZenithBank, you should keep frustrating your customers. Some have emergencies, and you are busy shifting the time for maintenance.”
Iran fired 200 missiles, including hypersonic weapons, at Israel in a major escalation of the ongoing conflict, state television reported on Wednesday.
The barrage, which Iran claims targeted military bases near Tel Aviv, came as retaliation for the recent killing of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah by Israeli forces.
This picture shows a projectile flying above the Jordanian capital Amman towards Israel, on October 1, 2024. – Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said a missile attack under way against Israel on October 1 was in response to the killing of Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah last week as well as that of the Hamas leader. (Photo by Khalil MAZRAAWI / AFP)
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) confirmed the missile launches, stating that “90 percent” of the projectiles hit their intended targets, which included three military bases.
The footage of the missile strikes was broadcast on Iranian media, showing a significant show of force by Tehran.
This picture taken from the West Bank city of Hebron shows projectiles above the Israeli city of Ashdod on October 1, 2024. (Photo by HAZEM BADER / AFP)
The Israeli military countered that 180 missiles had been fired into their territory, with most being intercepted by Israel’s advanced defense systems.
Despite the intercepts, the attack marks the first reported use of hypersonic missiles by Iran against Israel.
This picture shows projectiles being intercepted by Israel above Jerusalem on October 1, 2024. (Photo by Menahem Kahana / AFP)
Hypersonic missiles, capable of traveling at speeds of up to 15 times the speed of sound, pose a unique threat due to their low-altitude flight path and ability to evade conventional missile defenses.
Iran unveiled this advanced missile technology in June 2023, with then-president Ebrahim Raisi proclaiming it as a cornerstone of Iran’s deterrence capabilities, designed to maintain peace and stability in the region.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu responded swiftly to the attack, warning that Tehran had made a “big mistake.” He vowed to make Iran “pay” for the strikes, further raising tensions in an already volatile situation.
Fire erupts between Ben Gurion International Airport near Tel Aviv and the city of Modiin following an Iranian missile attack, on October 1, 2024. Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said a missile attack under way against Israel on October 1 was in response to the killing of Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah last week as well as that of the Hamas leader. (Photo by Ahmad GHARABLI / AFP)
In Washington, the United States indicated that it was discussing a joint response with Israel.
Meanwhile, Iran’s chief of staff issued a stern warning that Tehran would strike key Israeli infrastructure if Iran’s territory were attacked in retaliation. The region now braces for potential further escalation amid growing fears of a broader conflict.
No fewer than 60 bodies have been recovered following a tragic boat accident in Niger State, officials confirmed.
According to a statement released by Abubakar Dakani, Press Secretary to the Chairman of Mokwa Local Government, the boat was carrying over 300 passengers when it capsised at the notorious Gbajibo River in Mokwa Local Government Area yesterday evening.
Dakani disclosed that the ill-fated boat was en route from Mundi to Gbajibo for the Annual Maulud celebration when the disaster occurred.
The Chairman of Mokwa Local Government, Abdullahi Muregi, acknowledged the recovery of about 60 bodies and confirmed that 10 survivors have been found so far. Rescue operations, involving the State Emergency Management Agency and local volunteers, are ongoing in a bid to recover the missing passengers.
This incident brings painful memories of a similar boat tragedy in September 2023, when a boat carrying over 50 passengers capsized, killing 24 people who were traveling to their farms for harvest.
Authorities have expressed concerns about the recurring boat accidents in the region, calling for urgent measures to improve safety on the waterways.
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