Saudi security authorities apprehended Omar Nizar from Iraq during his Umrah pilgrimage. The Public Prosecution in Saudi Arabia has chosen to refer Nizar to the State Security Court for inciting terrorism at the Grand Mosque in Mecca. This was due to him praying for Hassan Nasrallah, the leader of the Hezbollah gang in Lebanon.
Omar Nizar, a lieutenant colonel in the Iraqi Rapid Response Forces, was previously sentenced to life imprisonment for his involvement in the Al-Zaytoun Bridge massacre in Dhi Qar Governorate, Southern Iraq. Despite the initial sentence, the head of the Supreme Judicial Council overturned Nizar’s conviction and set him free.
The Al-Zaytoun massacre, which occurred in Nasiriyah on November 28 and 30, 2019, saw the targeted killing of Iraqi protesters. Approximately 85 individuals lost their lives, with around 400 sustaining injuries during this tragic event.