Saudi Arabia attaches e-bracelet to 'those intend to join terrorists'

Dubai: Saudi Arabia has started attaching GPS-enabled electronic bracelets to "those who intended to join terrorist groups abroad", in a bid to monitor their activities.

Eisa Al-Ghaith, a judge and member of the Shoura Council's security committee, has said that government security agencies have begun implementing the system.

"This covers people who have been arrested but cannot be held, including those who intended to join terrorist groups abroad. These people would be identified based on government investigations, their own confessions, and information provided by their families," Al-Ghaith was quoted as saying by Arab News yesterday.

The bracelets are being used by several countries and are attached to either the wrist or ankle.

An alarm will ring if an attempt is made to remove it or the person moves out of a designated area, the report said. Al-Ghaith said Islamic law does not prohibit this measure because it protects individuals and the wider community.

Since these people have not committed a crime, they would be released and allowed to continue working and staying with their families.

Meanwhile, the prisons authority is also working on a plan to use the bracelets, which are linked to Global Positioning System (GPS) systems, to track prisoners out on family visits, or for medical treatment at an outside facility.

Chief of the National Society for Human Rights, Mufleh Al-Qahtani, expressed support for the initiative and urged the government to speed up its implementation.