RIYADH: The 11 Saudi nationals accused of conspiring with terrorists were asked to respond to their written confessions in the Specialist Penal Court here Tuesday and Wednesday. They face charges of helping those involved in carrying out an attack in Yanbu Governorate on May 2, 2004 that left six people dead and 25 injured. Some are accused of embracing the Al-Qaeda ideology of branding other Muslims as infidels and declaring it permissible to kill innocent people. They are also charged with declaring the rulers and Ulema infidels; describing those killed in the terrorist cell as martyrs; supporting and sheltering a number of terrorists; allowing the perpetrators to use their cars, and providing a cover to those who carried out the attack. During the fourth and fifth sessions Tuesday and Wednesday the accused were confronted with their confessions given to investigators. These confessions were previously ratified to in the general courts. The first accused retracted most of his confession and had presented a written reply to the court at its second session. He had also asked for the help of a lawyer so he could face future court proceedings. The fifth, sixth, seventh and eleventh accused confirmed their confessions and said they had nothing to add. The second, third, fourth, sixth, eighth and tenth accused objected to or expressed reservations about parts of their statements, which was noted by the court. The lawyers and representatives of the second, sixth and tenth accused, presented the defense of their clients to the court. The lawyers had either been chosen by the defendants or were court-appointed. The sessions took place in a calm atmosphere and the defendants and their attorneys were given sufficient time to read the minutes of their confessions. Saudi Gazette reported earlier this week that six of the 11 terror suspects have protested their innocence. They denied all the charges, including following Al-Qaeda or being connected to terrorist cells. The six suspects said they support the country's Shariah-based governance. They condemned the terror attacks and said they were victims of the deception of their relative and criminal mastermind, Mustafa. They said they had sympathized with him after he returned to the Kingdom after being away for 10 years. They said they were simply trying to help fellow family members. They had no idea that their relatives were involved in criminal activities. They did not suspect the terrorists because three of them had good jobs and did not seem suspicious. They were deceived, they said.
