Excerpts: EU grant to improve Syria's social protection system. Egypt's
judges provide 'fortress' against terrorism.By 2010 Saudi tried 765 for
terror activities January 09, 2011

+++SOURCE: Syria Report 9 Jan'11:"Economy: EU to Support Social protection
System in Syria"
SUBJECT:EU grant to improve Syria's social protection system

EXCERPT:The European Union is providing a grant of EUR 5 million to help
improve Syria’s social protection system, the first time the EU provides
support in the field of social protection in the country.

+++SOURCE: Egyptian Gazette 9 Jan.'11:"Mubarak: Judges key in confronting
terror"

SUBJECT:Egypt's judges provide 'fortress' against terrorism

QUOTE: "Mubarak stressed that he was keen on maintaining the independence
of Egypt's judiciary"

FULL TEXT:CAIRO - President Honsi Mubarak said on Sunday[9 Jan) that judges
were and would stay the fortress through which Egyptian people could
confront terrorism and extremism as they play a positive role in
establishing the principle of citizenship.
In an adress marking the First Judges Day held in the Supreme Court in
downtown Cairo yesterday, Mubarak stressed that he was keen on maintaining
the independence of Egypt's judiciary.
"Egyptian's trust in its judiciary is unlimited," the President
said.Mubarak warned against the media tackling of cases heard by courts or
investigated by prosecutors, warning that such intervention as could have a
"negative impact on final rulings".

+++SOURCE: Saudi Gazette 9 Jan '10:"Court heard 442 terrorist cases by end
of
2010",MUHAMMAD AL-GHAMDI

SUBJECT: By 2010 Saudi tried 765 for terror activities.

QUOTE:"rhe majority were in their twenties" ; " 'there were no females among
them' "

FULL TEXT:RIYADH: The Ministry of Justice said Saturday that the Penal Court
tasked with cases related to “the deviant group and plots against national
security” had by the end of last year heard and reached initial verdicts in
a total of 442 cases involving 765 individuals.

Abdullah Al-Sa’adan, the spokesman for the ministry, said that 325 cases had
gone to appeal. Some verdicts were subsequently approved and others were
annulled, while some were sent back for revision following observations from
the Appeals Court.

“27 defendants were found innocent after the court decided there was not
enough evidence against them,” he said. “Those defendants can seek
compensation.” Speaking at a press conference in Riyadh Saturday, Al-Sa’adan
said that most of the accused chose to defend themselves but some chose to
have lawyers represent them.All the accused were aged between 18 and 70, but
the majority were in their twenties.

“There were no females among them,” he said. “Some hearings were group
hearings as all the defendants were connected and of different
nationalities.”

The 442 cases, he said, involved charges of “belonging to Al-Qaeda and
taking part in its terrorist activities, following its ideology and
supporting and financing its crimes, communicating with its leadership and
members and providing cover for them, forming terrorist cells and incitement
to murder in ‘troubled regions’”.

Other charges included recruiting to Al-Qaeda, communicating, cooperating
and working with foreign elements to plot against the security of the nation
by creating chaos, and trading and smuggling arms, and being in possession
of illegal materials.

He added that the results of the trials would be announced periodically
until arrangements have been made for the media to attend hearings. –
Okaz/Saudi Gazette
===========
Sue Lerner - Associate, IMRA