MAN IN DRUG HAUL ATTEMPT GETS DEATH

a court in Doha, Qatar, sentenced an Iranian man to death after he was found guilty of attempting to smuggle drugs into the country. Adil Sher Ali Mohamed al-Sharshani was tried and sentenced in absentia after he managed to give detectives the slip seven months ago. The court also confiscated the 160kg of hashish that al-Sharshani was trying to bring into Qatar before his boat was intercepted by the anti-drugs unit on September 24, 2007. According to court papers, the Iranian contacted an undercover officer revealing his plans to bury the drugs off the Qatar coast. The sting was aided by al-Sharshani’s brother who is currently serving time for a drugs-related offence. The court ruled unanimously on death by firing squad. The verdict was read by presiding Judge Saleh Jassim al-Muhanadi.