SANAA (AFP) — Eight alleged members of Al-Qaeda cells have been brought before a special terrorism court in Sanaa accused of plotting to attack tourists and government facilities, a judicial source said on Tuesday.
Four suspected members of one cell made their first appearance before the court on Monday while the trial of the second group, also comprising four members, began on Tuesday, the source said.
Members of the first cell are accused of "forming an armed group with the intention of attacking tourists and hotels as well as government installations," the charge sheet stated.
They are also alleged to have planned an attack against the Red Cross near the border between Yemen and Saudi Arabia.
The four, all Yemenis aged between 22 and 35, are alleged to have prepared bombs and explosive belts. They allegedly had identified targets within Sanaa's old city but were arrested before carrying out any attacks.
Their next hearing was fixed for December 24.
The second group, comprising four Yemenis aged between 15 and 24, are accused of plotting terrorist acts and of possessing explosives.
According to prosecutors, they wanted to launch attacks against tourists and government facilities to avenge the death at the hands of the security forces of a fellow militant, Hamza al-Kaithi.
Their trial was postponed to December 13.
A security official told AFP that the eight accused are among dozens of Yemenis suspected of being linked to Al-Qaeda. The authorities are still investigating charges of terrorism against some 60 other people.
Yemen has witnessed a series of attacks claimed by Al-Qaeda in recent months against oil facilities and the security forces.
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