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Westerners Seek Clemency in Saudi Bombing Case
Lawyers of seven Westerners held in Saudi Arabia over a series of deadly bombings said on Thursday they were asking for clemency for their clients. Saudi media have blamed the 2000-2001 bombings on infighting in gangs smuggling banned alcohol. The infamous "Alk Runners" Diplomats said the attacks might be linked to anti-Western sentiment in the Muslim kingdom, where suicide bombings on foreigners' housing compounds killed at least 34 people in the capital on Monday. "Defense counsel have decided to file a petition on behalf of their clients with His Majesty King Fahd... asking him to treat the period of their detention as sufficient punishment," the law firm of Salah a-Hejailan said in a statement. Five Britons, a Canadian and a Belgian are on trial at an Islamic court on charges of being behind bomb attacks that killed a Briton and an American in 2000 and 2001. Some of them have been in custody since early 2001. A lawyer from the defense team said under Saudi law a clemency appeal could be made at any stage of the trial. "(In the light of) Monday's events, it may be and we are hoping the government will look at this request expeditiously," the lawyer, who asked not to be named, told Reuters. The statement said the clemency request comes after the arrest of a new witness and after a British suspect again pleaded guilty in January following his earlier retraction of a televised confession. Most of the men have withdrawn earlier confessions they made on Saudi state television. Which were beaten out of them. Posted by: Steve 2003-05-15 |
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