Saudi Arabia has released six Britons convicted of bombings in the kingdom. In a statement made by their lawyer on 8 August, it was confirmed that the men had been released early that morning and boarded a flight to the UK. The men arrived in Britain at about 1500 UK local time.
Two of the men, Sandy Mitchell and William Sampson, faced possible beheading having been convicted of planting a bomb under Chrisopher Rodway's car in November 2000. The four other men, James Cottle, Peter Brandon, Les Walker and James Lee, were sentenced to 12 years each for plotting the bombings, which were alleged to be related to an illegal alcohol racket.
The men were released after Saudi Arabia extended them royal clemency. 'The grant of clemency is even more remarkable considering the severity of the punishments all the accused were facing,' their lawyer Salah al-Hajailan told Reuters (MEED 24:8:01).
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