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| Saudi Arabia sentences 15 people to death over Iranian spy case | Saudi Arabia sentences 15 people to death over Iranian spy case |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| The Saudi Arabian government has sentenced 15 people to death and jailed many more over an alleged spy ring that handed secret documents to arch-enemy Iran. | |
| A court in the capital of Riyadh also gave prison terms ranging from six months to 25 years, and acquitted two, over a three-year case that has involved 30 Saudis, one Iranian and one Afghan. | |
| Critics have long said the high-profile trial is entirely politically motivated and serves as a distraction from the Gulf state's economic woes. | |
| The 32 were detained in 2013 and went on trial in February charged with an exhaustive list of damning accusations. | |
| Saudi state media said suspects fed back sensitive national security information to Iran - the Islamic kingdom's long-term rival - that attacked the territorial unity and integrity of the country and its armed forces. | Saudi state media said suspects fed back sensitive national security information to Iran - the Islamic kingdom's long-term rival - that attacked the territorial unity and integrity of the country and its armed forces. |
| Suspects were also accused of meeting Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, coordinating with Iranian intelligence agents, of possessing weapons, forging documents and accepting bribes. | |
| Moreover, they were accused of attempting economic sabotage, of trying to undermine social peace and public order, spread chaos, incite sectarian strife and carry out "hostile acts" against the kingdom. | |
| Prosecutors also accused the alleged spy ring, which includes a university professor, a paediatrician, banker and two clerics, of travelling to Iran and Lebanon for training on espionage techniques. | |
| The gang allegedly attempted to recruit people working in state agencies and hack into computers for sensitive information. | |
| Almost all of the defendants are Shia Muslims, in what is a Sunni-dominated country, and are from the oil rich Eastern province where street protests calling for democratic reform have bubbled up since the Arab Spring. | Almost all of the defendants are Shia Muslims, in what is a Sunni-dominated country, and are from the oil rich Eastern province where street protests calling for democratic reform have bubbled up since the Arab Spring. |
| Anger reached fever pitch in this region, when in January, leading celric and vocal regime critic Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr was executed for alleged involvment in the killing of policemen. | |
| The publicity has swept aside headlines surrounding the Saudis involvment in the Yemen civil war, which has killed more than 10,000 civilians. | |
| During times of low oil prices, Saudi prince Mohammed bin Salman has slashed capital spending by 71 per cent and ministers' pay by 20 per cent. | During times of low oil prices, Saudi prince Mohammed bin Salman has slashed capital spending by 71 per cent and ministers' pay by 20 per cent. |
| Earlier this year, Saudi Arabian officials said they would behead a disabled man for taking part in protests. | |
| The death penalties for the 15 alleged spies are open to appeal. | |
| Relations between Saudia Arabia and Iran soured after the latter's 1979 Shia revolution. | |
| The Independent has contacted the House of Saud for comment. |