Security Court in 6-Months

IN six months’ time a state security court will be formed to look into the cases of suspected militants believed to be involved in terror attacks.

Sheikh Abdul Mohsen Bin Nasser Al-Obikan, a Judiciary Advisor at the Ministry of Justice and a member of the Shoura Council, said in an interview with Okaz published on Wednesday the perpetrators of terror attacks which targeted three residential complexes in eastern Riyadh on May 12, 2003, will be tried by a state security court that will be formed especially for this purpose.

He said the judicial panel, which will consist of five to seven judges, will be appointed by a royal decree after being named jointly by the ministries of Interior and Justice. He added that in addition to this, two political and security advisers will be appointed to join the panel.

The court’s venue will be Riyadh.

Obikan stressed that the court’s verdicts will be final and irrevocable because “the judges are highly qualified and have a long record in the field.”

Sheikh Al-Obeikan (here transliterated as “Obikan”) is a busy man! This Saudi Gazette article has him expounding on the creation of a court specifically designed to deal with terrorism cases, both formalizing the process and taking it out of Sharia courts and undefined state institutions. It will be interesting to see how this court develops and whether or not its activities will be transparent and publicly reported.