Lebanese man's beheading delayed in Saudi Arabia

Beirut: The lawyer of a Lebanese man condemned to death for witchcraft says Saudi Arabia will not go ahead with the beheading.

Attorney May Al Khansa says she was told by Lebanon's justice minister that Ali Sibat will not be executed Friday, as was expected.

She says it's still unclear whether the beheading has been waived or only postponed.

Al Khansa and Sibat's wife have both appealed to the Saudi king for Sibat's release.

Sibat made predictions on an Arab satellite TV channel from his home in Beirut.

He was arrested by the Saudi religious police during his pilgrimage to the holy city of Medina in May 2008 and sentenced to death last November for witchcraft.