He also relinquished his brief to represent his clients.

He made the claims at a special court hearing on Monday into the case against seven Saudis who allegedly formed a terror cell to execute Al-Qaeda terror plots. It was the sixth such hearing.

The seven also allegedly coordinated with foreign terrorist elements to provide them with men and weapons.

Defendants No. 1 and 3 were accused of planning and preparing terrorist operations in addition to organizing camps in Asir to train terror recruits to use weapons and bombs.

At the hearing, Defendant No. 3 requested the court to transfer his brief to another lawyer as he was dissatisfied with his current one. He also nominated three attorneys.

Representatives from the Saudi Human Rights Commission and reporters were present in the courtroom. When defendants in the last hearing objected to media coverage of the trial, the judge replied it guaranteed transparency of the judicial process.

The most serious charge against the seven suspects was their creation of a terror cell to execute the orders of Al-Qaeda, particularly a plan to blow up Arar airport, according to a government prosecutor who read out the charges in the first hearing on July 23.

The charges also included their collaboration with Khaled bin Ali Al-Haj, a notorious terrorist wanted by the Interior Ministry.

Defendants 1 and 3 were accused of organizing camps in Asir province to train participants to use weapons and bombs.

Defendants 1, 2 and 3 also planned to carry out attacks against expatriate workers in the Kingdom. Defendants No. 2 and 3 traveled to Afghanistan to get trained in weapons and explosives while Defendant No. 7 went to Afghanistan to take part in the war.

Defendant No. 2 was accused of protecting Al-Haj while Defendant No. 1 was accused of possessing two machine guns, two ordinary guns, a hand grenade and many rounds of live ammunition.

Defendant No. 1 was also accused of violating a previous pledge to authorities that he would become a good citizen and never engage in subversive acts.