TEHRAN Saudi Arabian authorities amputated Saturday the hand of an Ethiopian man who had been caught stealing, DPA from Kuwait City quoted regional news agencies as saying. A statement from the kingdom's Interior Ministry said the thief had been caught stealing in the holy city of Mecca. It suggested he was a pickpocket, but gave no further details. The Interior Ministry said that the government was keen to preserve Saudi security by punishing criminals who tried to destabilize the country.

Hand amputation is an accepted punishment for thieves according to the strict implementation of Islamic law, the code used by Saudi Arabia. Saudi authorities say they have punished six thieves so far in 1998 by amputating one of their hands.