MADRID — A Spanish court sentenced a Saudi national to eight years in prison, the Saudi Embassy confirmed in a phone call to Okaz/Saudi Gazette.

Mudhar Hussein Al-Malki, who is married to Spanish woman, has been a permanent resident in that country for 34 years. The couple have a daughter.

Al-Malki was arrested in Valencia in 2012 for his alleged support for terrorism and involvement in disruptive activities.

According to the court ruling, Al-Malki will be put under strict surveillance for nine years after he served his prison term and he will not be allowed to hold any public office in Spain for 15 years.

The head of the consular section in the Saudi Embassy in Madrid, Fayez Al-Timyat, said the embassy would appeal the sentence against Al-Malki.

“The Saudi Embassy had appointed a lawyer to defend Al-Malki after his arrest. We have now started meetings with the lawyer to discuss the formalities for filing an appeal,” Al-Timyat told Okaz/Saudi Gazette.

He said the Spanish prosecution alleged that Al-Malki worked as a librarian for an Al-Qaeda outfit. According to the court verdict, Al-Malki became part of the propaganda machine for Ansar Al-Mujahideen, an Al-Qaeda affiliate, in 2006.