Who took the lead in persecuting the Jewish believers who recognized Jesus as the Messiah?

Les explains that when Jesus of Nazareth began making inroads into Judaism, a religious fanatic would conclude he had to stamp Him out because He was ruining their culture and religion. Saul of Tarsus took the lead in persecuting the Jewish believers who had recognized Christ as their Messiah, and he did everything he could to stamp them out. Les compares this pattern to the communists, Hitler, and every despotic totalitarian leader who tries to get rid of the opposition by putting them to death. Then Les points to what Paul writes in Acts 26, beginning at verse 9: Paul thought he ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth, and he did so in Jerusalem, shutting many saints in prison. Those saints were simply Jewish believers who had followed Christ in His earthly ministry. Paul received authority from the chief priests, and when these Jewish believers were put to death, it shows the Jews did have authority within their religion to put their own people to death. Saul of Tarsus was at the head of it.