The court began its sessions Saturday when Defendant Nos. 1, 2, 3 and 5 heard the charges against them framed by the attorney general.
Among others, the charges against the accused include joining an Al-Qaeda terrorist cell under the leadership of Saleh Al-Oulaqi, holding hostages, firing at security forces, targeting security and oil installations, hijacking aircraft and giving refuge and transporting criminals wanted for terrorist acts.
The charges also included purchasing and acquiring arms, financing terrorist operations and confiscating funds at gunpoint to use for financing such plans.
Appearing before the court yesterday were Defendant Nos. 4, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10. Representatives of the Human Rights Commission attended the session.
The court handed every defendant a copy of the list of charges against him and asked all of them to submit their written replies. It also told them that they could hire lawyers to represent them.
Court sources said the judge told the accused that if they could not bear the expenses of hiring lawyers, the Ministry of Justice would do that for them. They said that on request of the attorney general, the judge did not allow the media to attend the session.
According to the list of charges, Defendant No. 1 was accused of plotting with two other suspects to carry out terrorist operations outside the Kingdom, receiving SR4,200 from Defendant No. 6 to buy arms, receiving funds amounting to SR900,000 to support fighters in Iraq, giving a person in Syria SR550,000 out of this money to be sent to fighters in Iraq, investing the rest of the money for his own personal use and disobeying the ruler by traveling to combat zones without permission.
Defendant No. 2 was accused of harboring the leader of the cell, photographing the attack against the American Consulate, providing media support to the cell and posting on the Internet the cell leader’s speech in which he described the consulate as a "Crusade Center."
Defendant No. 3 was accused of taking an oath of allegiance to Osama Bin Laden, traveling to the Philippines to be trained in the use of light arms, preparing to launch terrorist acts in Madinah and Riyadh, giving his own personal car and his house to a terrorist who used explosives in Riyadh and acquiring machine guns and hand grenades.
Defendant No. 4 was accused of harboring two terrorists who were later killed in confrontations with the security forces, supporting the terrorist cell by providing accommodation to its members, covering up terrorist acts Al-Qaeda was planning to carry out in the northern city of Tabuk and supporting terrorism by collecting funds and accommodating terrorists.
The court will continue its sessions to inform all defendants about the charges against them and then hear arguments in their defense.
