A man accused of plotting to assassinate the emirs of two regions went on trial with eight more men at the Specialized Penal Court here Monday. The group is part of an accused terror cell of 50 defendants that plotted to blow up several housing compounds and a public security building in Riyadh. The Prosecutor General has leveled 117 charges against the cell members. On listening to the responses of the 16th defendant, the judge decided the man needed to be checked up for his mental health. The main charges against the 16th defendant were of supporting a terrorist organization, forging military uniforms and misusing ID cards of Saudi citizens in acts of terror. He has also been accused of assisting an operation to storm a foreigners' housing compound in Al-Olaya District of Riyadh. The 17th defendant has been accused of participating in an attempt to bomb British and US embassies in Riyadh and leaking pictures of Al-Mohayya housing compound with the purpose of blowing it up. The 19th defendant, who plotted to assassinate the emirs, is considered among the most dangerous of the accused group. Thirty more charges have been filed against him, most prominent of which are that of transporting 40 boxes of AK-47 assault rifle ammunitions to Qassim region, smuggling 20 detonators for carrying out blasts and supporting the Al-Qaeda organization. Meanwhile, in a separate session 5 more Saudi men were tried at the penal court. They have been accused of following the Takfir ideology, disobeying the ruler, joining military camps to learn the make and use of weapons and explosives, and participating in an operation to bomb a military base in Khamis Mushait. The judge gave each of the accused a copy of the charges and said they had the right to appoint a lawyer to defend them and that the Justice Ministry would provide one if they could not afford it. Four of the accused opted for a lawyer, while the fifth said he would reply to the charges on his own. The session was attended by human rights officials, media personnel and relatives of the defendants. – With additional inputs from Ahmed Abdullah __
