Iraq thieves face 'sharia' penalty

(First Edition)

BAGHDAD (REUTER) - Two Iraqis convicted of stealing will have their right hands amputated and their foreheads tattooed in line with a recent crackdown on crime which includes aspects of Islamic sharia law.

The authorities said yesterday that a court convicted Shamoun Polous and Ismael Ahmad Saeed last month. One had stolen a car and the other had stolen from a factory. Criminals who had their hands amputated would also be tattooed on the forehead with two parallel lines, they said.