Pubdate: Sun, 02 Jan 2005 Source: Mirror, The (UK) Copyright: 2005 The Mirror Contact: http://www.mirror.co.uk/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1161 Author: Stephen Hayward SAUDIS BEHEAD 2 DRUG SMUGGLERS TWO drug smugglers were beheaded in Saudi Arabia yesterday despite protests from Western governments and human rights groups. The New Year's Day executions were carried out in public by sword of the men, who had been found guilty of smuggling heroin and cannabis into the country. Pakistani Mohammed Amin Abdullah Jan was beheaded in Jeddah and Mattar bin Hussein bin Bakhit al-Khazaali, an Iraqi, in the northern town of Arar, close to the Iraqi border. Saudi Arabia, which follows strict Islamic law, put 35 people to death last year, and at least 52 the year before. Western governments have condemned Saudi Arabia's justice system amid claims of torture and forced confessions. The Human Rights Watch pressure group says the death penalty should be suspended until the legal system is reformed. But a Saudi Arabian government spokesman said: "We apply the laws of God and don't pay attention to whoever says anything about that." And Saudi Arabia's chief executioner Mohammed Saad al-Beshi has spoken of the pride he takes from his beheadings. - --- MAP posted-by: Jo-D