March 30, 2004

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  Killer forgiven seconds from death

  
  
  
  
  
  

  Sun Mar 28, 8:04 PM ET

  
  

  
  

  RIYADH (Reuters) - A convicted Saudi murderer escaped death by seconds when he was forgiven by his victim's father as he knelt down before the executioner's sword.
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  21-year-old Abdul-Karim al-Ghoraid, who killed a friend in a dispute five years ago, was moments away from being beheaded in a public square in Saudi Arabia's northern town of Tabuk on Friday.
  

  
  

  "I knelt and lowered my head, praying to God that he would forgive me and grant that my head be cut with the first blow of the sword."
  

  Suddenly the victim's father shouted out from the crowd: "I forgive you", the paper said, which meant Ghoraid could walk free. People started dancing and praising God.
  

   

  • 12:39 am
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