Saudi pardons son's killer

A Saudi newspaper said on August 20 that a citizen forgave his son's killer, moments before the sword was to land on the killer's neck. The man was sentenced to death after he was convicted of slaying the son in the eastern city of Damam.

"While the executioner was about to behead Salem bin Mohammed bin Mubarak a Yemeni, the victim's father, Hassan bin Ali Al Theyab raised his hands high in the air and chanted "God is Great" and requested the execution be halted in front of people who gathered to watch the beheading," Al Riadh newspaper said.

The father rejected previous attempts to forgive Mubarak, who killed his son with a knife while they were in a fight.

The executioner cut some hair from the Yemeni's head and gave it to the father, a symbol that the killer was born again.