The court found the defendants guilty of forming a terrorist cell inside the Kingdom, supporting Al-Qaeda’s aims to attack private and public property, and adopting Takfiri ideas.

The court decided that the first defendant, an army officer, had rebelled against the government by meeting with terrorists, adopting Takfiri ideas and supporting Al-Qaeda, a local publication reported.

He was also found guilty of supporting the terrorist attack targeting Crown Prince Mohammad bin Naif, deputy premier and interior minister, and entering the Yanbu refinery to launch an attack. The court ruled that he had broken his military oath and sentenced him to 16 years in jail and a travel ban for the same period after he completes his sentence.

The second defendant, also a soldier, was convicted of trying to travel to places of unrest, and using the Internet to log into suspicious websites and upload Takfiri material supporting Al-Qaeda. He was convicted of breaking his military oath by teaching Al-Qaeda members to manufacture explosives. He was sentenced to three and a half years in jail starting from the day of his arrest, and banned from travel for the same period.

The third defendant was found guilty of rebelling against the government, meeting with extremist groups, and participating in the terrorist attack that targeted Prince Mohammad bin Naif. He was sentenced to 17 years in jail and banned from travel for the same period.

The fourth defendant was accused of adopting Takfiri ideas and meeting with others with the same views, planning to carry out terrorist attacks inside the Kingdom, and publishing prohibited material on the Internet. He was sentenced to 16 years and banned from travel for the same period after finishing his sentence.

The fifth defendant was found guilty of rebelling against the government, trying to travel to troubled areas without permission, and training with the Taleban and receiving money to support them. He was sentenced to five years in jail and banned from travel for the same period.

The sixth defendant was found guilty of adopting Takfiri ideas, meeting with other terrorists, and publishing prohibited material on the Internet. He was sentenced to 11 years in jail and banned from travel for the same period. The eighth defendant was acquitted because of a lack of evidence.

The tenth defendant was found to have helped the first and second defendants spread news about fighters in troubled areas and supporting operations there. He was sentenced to one year in jail and deportation after he finishes his sentence.

The court found that the twelfth defendant adopted Takfiri ideas, met with other terrorists to spread these views, possessed extremist material, and manufactured explosives. He was sentenced to 17 years in jail, fined SR40,000 and banned from travel for the same period.