All the 14 Saudi defendants will not be allowed to leave the Kingdom after their release while the foreigners would be deported after completing their jail sentences, the court said.
Defendant No. 1 was sentenced to 30 years and banned from traveling abroad after his release, while Defendant No. 2 was sentenced to 15 years and No. 3, 20 years. All the defendants have rejected the court verdict while the public prosecutor said the suspects deserved tougher punishment.
He said the defendants and the public prosecutor would have the right to appeal the verdict within 30 days. “If they fail to appeal within that period the verdict would be considered final and it would be executed," the source added.
The suspects were accused of forming a terror cell to carry out attacks inside the Kingdom and grab political power, plotting to destabilize the country, possessing weapons, collecting funds for terror and money laundering.
The court session began in the afternoon and continued for one-and-a-half hours and the judge pronounced the verdicts against every defendant. He urged the suspects not to raise their voices at the time of announcing the verdict. According to the verdicts, 12 defendants will not be allowed to leave the Kingdom after their release.
Only four media persons were allowed due to lack of space and others had to follow the case through television screens.
Some defendants were seen crying after hearing the verdicts and they said they never expected such a harsh verdict. On the other hand, the prosecutor said he had hoped for tougher punishment. Relatives of the defendants were seen sharing their pain and sorrow after hearing the verdicts.
Defendant No. 1, who is accused of setting up a group to seize political power, financing terror, joining Al-Qaeda terrorist organization and money laundering, holds a doctorate degree in family and social medicine. He was arrested along with other members of the cell in February 2007. He is also accused of establishing contacts with Al-Qaeda leader Abdul Aziz Al-Muqrin. He was fined SR2 million.
Defendant No. 2, who is 74 years old, has served as a judge. He is one of the founding members of the committee for defending legal rights. Police had arrested him several times before in connection with his rights activities. Defendant No. 5 is father of 12 boys and girls and the son of a judge.
He had a doctorate degree in Islamic jurisprudence from Umm Al-Qura University. He also worked at Madinah’s Islamic University as a professor of jurisprudence.
Defendant No. 3 was sentenced to 20 years jail, No. 4 to 22 years and SR1 million fine, No. 5 to 20 years, defendants 6 to 9 were handed 10 years, No. 10 got 25 years, No. 11 (a Syrian) 15 years, No. 12 was given eight years, No. 13 was handed 10 years, No. 14 too 10 years, No. 15 for eight years and No. 16 (a Yemeni) received five years.
