JEDDAH: The trial of Al-Qaeda affiliated militants arrested in connection with a series of terrorist acts in the Kingdom began yesterday.
The panel of 12 appointed judges yesterday received documents presented by the prosecution though the actual hearings have not yet begun, said an inside source.
The panel of judges will begin reviewing the individual cases against the detainees. The hearings are expected to begin soon, though no date has been set. The source said that there was a shortage of judges in the Ministry of Justice and since a large number of suspects were being tried, this might delay the actual hearings for some time.
“The judges might call for additional details from the prosecution if required,” the source added. Court sources said that only six judges resumed work yesterday in the Riyadh General Court.
Minister of Justice Abdullah Al-Asheikh said that extra precautionary measures have been taken in order to ensure privacy and maximum trial security. Part of the court area has been closed to the general public.
The General Court in Riyadh will deal with the bulk of the cases but similar sessions will be held in both Jeddah and the Eastern Province.
The minister did not specify the number of detainees expected to stand trial nor the names of the judges.
The Ministry of Justice will provide details of the closed sessions in light of the overwhelming interest from both local and international media. A media committee is expected to be formed to provide daily reports on the sessions. “The committee has not yet been named,” said a ministry official.
“The trials will take place according to Saudi law and procedures. There will be no difference between these trials and any others in the Saudi system. The accused will have the right to hire lawyers for their defense in accordance with Saudi law,” he said.
A number of lawyers have been reported as having refused to defend suspects charged with terrorism. Khaled Abu Rashed, a prominent lawyer, said that for personal reasons he would not defend terror suspects. He added: “I can say that a number of my colleagues have expressed the same view.”
The lawyer said that the trial would be held behind closed doors, away from the public and the media.
He added that the trial was an issue of “national security” and details in such cases could cause a threat if leaked to the wrong people.
The Kingdom has witnessed a string of terror attacks by Al-Qaeda affiliated militants, which resulted in the deaths of 155 people — 74 security officers and 81 civilians.
