According to
Human Rights Watch, the Mabahith "monitors suspected political opponents and others, targets individuals for arrest, and interrogates detainees. Mabahith agents operate with impunity and have been responsible for a wide range of human rights abuses, including
arbitrary arrest, incommunicado detention, and
torture" including
waterboarding,
denailing,
flagellation and
beatings, amongst other forms of severe abuse. Members of the Mabahith were allegedly responsible for the torture of Western detainees arrested during a car bombing campaign which started in 2000. Two members in particular,
Khalid al-Saleh and
Ibrahim al-Dali, were named by
William Sampson in his court action against the Saudi government, Sampson and others lost their case in the
UK High Court when the Saudis used the
State Immunity Act 1978 as their defence. ==Directors==