Saudi Arabia frees seven sentenced in 2000 bombings

LONDON - Seven Westerners jailed in Saudi Arabia over a series of bombings that killed one person arrived in Britain Friday after being freed and deported.

Canadian William Sampson and Briton Alexander Mitchell were sentenced to death in October 2001, while Britons James Lee, James Cottle, Les Walker and Peter Brandon were given prison sentences.

Briton Glenn Ballard, who was detained for 10 months but not charged, also was released.

Raf Schyvens of Belgium, who was convicted and sentenced to prison in Saudi Arabia, was released Friday and arrived in Belgium, the Belgian Foreign Ministry said.

The men were sentenced in relation to two bombings in the Saudi capital, Riyadh, in late 2000, in which Briton Christopher Rodway was killed and four people injured.

The Riyadh bombings were followed by several other blasts, which Saudi officials blamed on disputes between gangs dealing in alcohol, which is forbidden in the kingdom under Islamic laws but is not difficult to get.

The British men's relatives had often said that the charges against them were trumped up and that the bombings were the work of Islamic fundamentalists targeting Westerners.

Canadian and British officials had worked behind the scenes to persuade Saudi officials to free the men, but it was not clear if the Western governments believed the defendants were innocent, or simply mistreated in custody and given harsh sentences.

The clemency was issued two weeks ago but has only just been finalized, lawyer Salah al-Hujeilan said. Al-Hujeilan said his clients "maintained their position that they are not guilty. This case should now be closed. It is closed from the Saudi point of view."

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