Jeddah U.S. consulate attacker sentenced to death, others jailed

RIYADH Mon Nov 25, 2013 1:28am EST

(Reuters) - A Saudi court has sentenced one man to death and another 19 to jail terms ranging from 18 months to 25 years for taking part in storming the U.S. consulate in Jeddah in 2004, killing nine, one of a series of al Qaeda attacks last decade.

Another 35 defendants in the case are due to be sentenced on Monday and Tuesday, the official Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported from the court late on Sunday.

In the December 6 attack, five militants, including the man sentenced to death on Sunday, stormed the U.S. consulate with bombs and guns, killing four Saudi security personnel outside the building and five local staff inside. Three of the attackers were killed in the assault and two were captured.

SPA said that among other charges, "suspect number six", as he was identified in the court statement, was convicted of participating in killing five people inside the U.S. Consulate, including four Muslims, and in participating in planning another attack against foreigners in Tabuk in northern Saudi Arabia.

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