One of two women who had previously attempted to join Al-Qaeda in Yemen expressed her regret for resorting to extremist ideology, and repented for her actions, that could have affected national security.

The two women who had tried to sneak into Yemen with the help of three Yemeni smugglers, along with their six children. The women were stopped by border security before they could reach their destination. The Specialized Criminal Court held a hearing on Tuesday to review the statements of the defendants, though only one of them showed up to court, while the other woman refused to leave her prison cell for the hearing.

During the court session, the first defendant provided her written response to the charges of the Attorney General, saying her participation in the gatherings in Buraidah were not aimed at breaching national security. She also stated that she does not belong to any terrorist groups or organizations.

Both women previously held government jobs and were known for their extremist and anti-state views, as well as for encouraging youths to join terrorist organizations.

They had been previously arrested on charges of breaching national security but were later released.