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Terror cell plotted to kill top officials
audi judicial authorities on Saturday unveiled a new 16-member terror cell accused of killing a policeman using poison and plotting to kill top government officials and bomb weapons storages belonging to the Navy and special forces. The cell comprised 14 Saudis, a Pakistani and an Afghan.
A trial against the 16 terror suspects began at the special criminal court in Riyadh on Saturday. They are accused of forming an Al-Qaeda terror cell and planning to carry out a terrorist operation targeting a senior state official, the weapon storages, the general intelligence building, plotting to assassinate security officers and promotion of crimes.
Other charges include association with terrorist organizations abroad, embracing the takfiri ideology that brands opponents as infidels, collecting donations for terrorist operations, smuggling weapons and inciting youths to join Al-Qaeda, and sending militants to take part in fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan.
"The 16 suspects are also accused of providing military training to a number of cell members on using weapons and making hand grenades," a judicial source said.
During the court session on Saturday, the judge heard the replies of Defendant Nos. 2, 3, 7, 8, 9, 10 and 14. The judge asked the defendants to appoint lawyers to defend their cases, adding that the Justice Ministry would pay for them.
After meeting the lawyer, they requested the judge to fix a date for them to reply to the charges made against them by the public prosecutor. The session was attended by representatives of the Human Rights Commission.
Defendant No. 1 is accused of recruiting militants to join the terror cell, supporting terrorist operations inside the Kingdom, financing terrorist activities, helping militants to visit Iraq and Afghanistan to take part in fighting and possessing a Kalashnikov gun.
He is also accused of taking part in terrorist operations in Riyadh, Jeddah and the Eastern Province including those targeting the weapons storages in Jeddah and the intelligence office building in Jubail.
He is also accused of trying to assassinate a senior government official while the target was attending a marriage ceremony. He is also accused of providing training to militants in bomb making and killing people using poison.
Defendant No. 2 faces charges such as issuing religious edicts against Saudi rulers, traveling to Afghanistan to take part in fighting, helping a militant to travel to Iraq to join fighting there, covering up terrorist operations planned by Al-Qaeda, targeting oil pipelines and financing terrorist operations.
Defendant No. 3 is accused of supporting the bombings carried out by terrorists inside the Kingdom, adopting takfiri ideology, applying poison on the door handle of a police jeep to kill security officers, training militants to make explosives, using cars to bomb vital installations and helping Defendant No. 16 to travel to violence-hit areas using forged passports and being in charge of the media department of the terror cell.
Other defendants were also facing similar charges such as recruiting militants to the cell, giving religious edicts against Saudi rulers, funding terrorism and training fighters. Defendant No. 5 was accused of plotting to bomb the intelligence office building in Makkah using a booby-trapped vehicle.
audi judicial authorities on Saturday unveiled a new 16-member terror cell accused of killing a policeman using poison and plotting to kill top government officials and bomb weapons storages belonging to the Navy and special forces. The cell comprised 14 Saudis, a Pakistani and an Afghan.
A trial against the 16 terror suspects began at the special criminal court in Riyadh on Saturday. They are accused of forming an Al-Qaeda terror cell and planning to carry out a terrorist operation targeting a senior state official, the weapon storages, the general intelligence building, plotting to assassinate security officers and promotion of crimes.
Other charges include association with terrorist organizations abroad, embracing the takfiri ideology that brands opponents as infidels, collecting donations for terrorist operations, smuggling weapons and inciting youths to join Al-Qaeda, and sending militants to take part in fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan.
"The 16 suspects are also accused of providing military training to a number of cell members on using weapons and making hand grenades," a judicial source said.
During the court session on Saturday, the judge heard the replies of Defendant Nos. 2, 3, 7, 8, 9, 10 and 14. The judge asked the defendants to appoint lawyers to defend their cases, adding that the Justice Ministry would pay for them.
After meeting the lawyer, they requested the judge to fix a date for them to reply to the charges made against them by the public prosecutor. The session was attended by representatives of the Human Rights Commission.
Defendant No. 1 is accused of recruiting militants to join the terror cell, supporting terrorist operations inside the Kingdom, financing terrorist activities, helping militants to visit Iraq and Afghanistan to take part in fighting and possessing a Kalashnikov gun.
He is also accused of taking part in terrorist operations in Riyadh, Jeddah and the Eastern Province including those targeting the weapons storages in Jeddah and the intelligence office building in Jubail.
He is also accused of trying to assassinate a senior government official while the target was attending a marriage ceremony. He is also accused of providing training to militants in bomb making and killing people using poison.
Defendant No. 2 faces charges such as issuing religious edicts against Saudi rulers, traveling to Afghanistan to take part in fighting, helping a militant to travel to Iraq to join fighting there, covering up terrorist operations planned by Al-Qaeda, targeting oil pipelines and financing terrorist operations.
Defendant No. 3 is accused of supporting the bombings carried out by terrorists inside the Kingdom, adopting takfiri ideology, applying poison on the door handle of a police jeep to kill security officers, training militants to make explosives, using cars to bomb vital installations and helping Defendant No. 16 to travel to violence-hit areas using forged passports and being in charge of the media department of the terror cell.
Other defendants were also facing similar charges such as recruiting militants to the cell, giving religious edicts against Saudi rulers, funding terrorism and training fighters. Defendant No. 5 was accused of plotting to bomb the intelligence office building in Makkah using a booby-trapped vehicle.
