Four Pakistanis beheaded in Saudi Arabia

Four men were beheaded in Saudi Arabia for killing a man while he was sleeping, raping his wife and stealing hew jewelry and couple’s money, the Interior Minister said.

The four Pakistanis attacked the unidentified Saudi man and beat him to death, then started beating his wife and tied her to bed. The woman was raped by one of the four, identified as Mazhar Hussein Fadl Elahy. The Pakistanis then stole the pair's money and jewelry from the house, the Interior Ministry said in a statement carried by the Saudi Press Agency.

It was not immediately clear from the statement where the crimes or Wednesday's executions occurred.

Saudi Arabia follows a strict interpretation of Islam under which people convicted of murder, drug trafficking, rape and armed robbery can be executed. The executions are performed with a sword and in public, as a deterrent.

Wednesday's executions brought to 51 the number of people beheaded in the kingdom this year. The kingdom beheaded 38 people last year and 83 people in 2005.