They also accused the media of defaming them and picturing them as a menace to society.
The defendants claimed they have a copy of the verdicts, which sentenced them to jail for two years. They said that they were not released after they served the sentence.
• The court session started at 10 a.m. and lasted for two hours.
• The general prosecutor read the list of charges against one of the defendants who was working in the military. The general prosecutor accused him of treason because of his position.
• Some of the defendants claimed that the social tradition of honoring guests is what led to them meeting with Turki Al-Dandani in Al-Jouf. One defendant said that he was not religious before he was arrested and did not know the basics of prayer.
• Some of the defendants demanded the right to defend themselves, although the judge reminded them of their rights to hire a lawyer or obtain one from the Ministry of Justice.
• A Syrian defendant said the general prosecutor had demanded his execution. He said out of frustration that he was quite happy to face execution since he was being tried on charges that he had already been convicted of and sentenced to 18 months in jail.
• The Syrian defendant allegedly used the house of his brother, who was in Syria at the time, to harbor Al-Dandani and four of his friends in addition to storing a number of weapons. He supported the terrorist cell by buying mobile phones for communication.
• A number of defendants said that they were tried in the general court in Riyadh and sent to jail. They added that they were not released after their sentences finished. They filed a lawsuit at the local court of grievances.
• The general prosecutor claimed that the cases the defendants were referring to were still to be reviewed by the Supreme Court.
• A number of defendants expressed their anger at the media and accused certain members of working for the government. They accused the media of picturing them as killers and murderers, asking them to write truthful reports.
• One of the defendants allegedly hired a foreigner under his sponsorship to serve the terrorist cell and to buy what they needed for their hiding place in Al-Jouf.
