Hezbollah chief denounces 'criminal' Saudi Arabia

Head of Lebanon's Shia movement accuses Al-Saud family of seeking to spark "a conflict between Sunni and Shia" Muslims

BEIRUT: Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah on Sunday slammed the "criminal and terrorist" government of Saudi Arabia after it executed a prominent Shia cleric.

The head of Lebanon's powerful Shia movement also accused Saudi Arabia's ruling Al-Saud family of seeking to spark "a conflict between Sunni and Shia" Muslims.

"The execution (Saturday) of Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr reveals to the world the real criminal, takfiri and terrorist face of Saudi Arabia," Nasrallah said in a speech broadcast on Hezbollah's Al-Manar television.



"This is not something we can ignore," Nasrallah said.

Nimr, 56, was a force behind anti-government protests in Saudi Arabia in 2011 in the east of the country.



He was executed along with 46 other men -- Shia activists and Sunnis who the Saudi interior ministry said were involved in Al-Qaeda killings. Some were beheaded and others were shot by firing squad.