Indian and four other executed for murder, other crimes

Dubai, May 2 (UNI) Kuwait today publicly executed five men, an Indian and four others, for various crimes, including murder, rape and drug smuggling.

The Indian, Sami-Allah Ansari, was convicted of murder, possession of firearms and ammunition, stealing money from his victim before burying the body in 2003.

Ansari, who hailed from Uttar Pradesh in India, was in his 20s and had petitioned the Indian embassy that he used to be beaten up and denied food by his employer.

The execution was the largest number to be carried out on a single day since 1991, it has been officially stated.

The Director of the Criminal Execution office and Foreign Communication, Judge Najeeb Al-Mulla, told newsmen that the hanging was carried out after the cases had gone through the review process at various judicial levels.

The execution was endorsed by the king, he said, adding the first convict was a Pakistani, Mayan Mohammad Iqbal Mayan.

Among the Kuwaitis was one who was found guilty of kidnapping, rape and murder, while the second was convicted of murder and possession of weapons and firearms and the third was executed for kidnapping and rape, Al-Mulla said.

UNI XC SI RN2112