Juhayman al-Otaybi

Juhayman al-Otaybi wrote a series of letters criticizing the Saudi royal family for corruption, Westernization, and deviation from Islamic principles. These letters circulated underground and helped mobilize his followers for the Grand Mosque seizure.

Juhayman al-Otaybi led a group of armed followers in seizing the Grand Mosque in Mecca, declaring his brother-in-law as the Mahdi. The siege lasted two weeks, resulting in hundreds of deaths before Saudi forces recaptured the mosque with French assistance.

After the Grand Mosque siege, Juhayman al-Otaybi was captured, tried, and publicly executed by beheading in Mecca along with 62 of his followers. The execution was intended to deter future challenges to the Saudi monarchy.