Saudi Court 2 To Death For Forming 'Al-Qaeda Cell-

A Saudi court on Tuesday sentenced two men to death and slapped 13 others with jail terms for killing a policeman and forming an al-Qaeda cell.



The court convicted the 15 men "of opening fire on security forces, which left one policeman dead and injured 12 others" and "forming an al-Qaeda-linked cell in the kingdom", the official Saudi news agency reported.



The men were also found guilty of "forming a cell inside jail to carry out acts of sabotage against a foreign state and kidnapping non-Muslims".



According to the agency, the 15 men – including two Moroccans and a Yemeni – were convicted of planning attacks against a foreign state by civilian aircraft.



In March, Saudi Arabia officially designated nine groups "terrorist" organizations, including the Al-Qaeda and all its affiliates worldwide.



Earlier in the year, Saudi King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz issued a decree mandating jail terms for anyone found engaging in unsanctioned combat outside the kingdom or who joined "radical movements" or "terrorist groups."



The decree applies to anyone who supports these groups, financially or morally, and their ideologies.



According to Saudi laws, disturbances of public order and perceived defamation of the kingdom or king are labeled as "terrorist acts."



By Ahmed al-Masri



englishnews@aa.com.tr



www.aa.com.tr/en - Riyad