By Ahmed Abdullah
Saudi Gazette

JEDDAH — The trial of 16 suspected Al-Qaeda members, accused of planning to assassinate a high-ranking government official, plotting attacks on senior government officials and security personnel in the south of the Kingdom and possessing unauthorized weapons, began in the capital Saturday.

The terror cell, led by a militant who figured in the Saudi list of wanted terrorists, is widely known as “Al-Janoub” cell. Its leader was arrested in 2004 while attempting to escape to Yemen.

The prosecutor general read out charges against 13 suspects in the special penal court in Riyadh as the court proceedings began Saturday. The charges include planning to assassinate senior government figures, security personnel and non-Muslim foreigners in the Kingdom.

The suspects were also charged with providing shelter to the cell leader and facilitating his movements across the Kingdom.

Other charges against the defendants include traveling outside the Kingdom without the permission of the ruler and coordinating with Yemeni nationals to smuggle out their leader to that country. Their travel was ostensibly with the purpose of taking part in the fighting in Afghanistan.

Saturday’s court proceedings were attended by Human Rights Commission representatives and relatives of some of the defendants.