Riyadh : Ninety-four people, mostly Saudi nationals, have been convicted in two separate cases and sentenced to up to 27 years in prison each for joining jihadi ranks in countries in conflict, the Saudi press reported Monday.
The Criminal Court in Riyadh Sunday issued a verdict that sentenced 70 Saudis and a Yemeni to prison terms ranging from 10 months to 20 years in prison.
One of the charges was disobedience to the authorities, as Saudi King Abdullah bin Abdelaziz had banned Saudi nationals from fighting with terrorist groups abroad, such as the Nusra Front or the Islamic State which are active in Syria.
They were also convicted of embracing extremist ideology, financing terrorism, meeting with persons wanted by the authorities, possessing unlicensed weapons and disturbing the peace.
In another case, a Saudi court issued sentences between one year and 27 years in prison on similar charges against 21 Saudis, an Egyptian and a Somali, who belonged to a cell of 86 alleged terrorists accused of crimes against the country and Islam.
According to a report published in August by the Soufan Group, an organization that provides intelligence to governments and institutions, more than 12,000 foreign fighters from 81 countries have entered Syria since the civil war there began, of whom 2,500 are Saudis.
In recent months, hundreds of people have been sentenced to death and jail in Saudi Arabia for being involved in terrorist activities.