Freed trio demand Saudis prove guilt

Published on Friday 22 August 2003 01:00

THREE Britons freed from jail in Saudi Arabia after being convicted of a bombing campaign have demanded that the Saudi authorities either provide proof of their guilt, or accept they were innocent.

Lawyers for Sandy Mitchell, William Sampson and Les Walker said a recent statement by an adviser to Crown Prince Abdullah, claiming to have evidence that the men carried out attacks in Riyadh, was "a disgraceful libel".

The men, who received a royal pardon this month, were jailed for the November 2000 bombings, but claimed they were tortured into signing "bogus confessions".

In a statement yesterday, London-based solicitors Bindman & Partners said:

"The men retracted their confessions at the earliest opportunity and, in the face of intimidation up to the time of their release, have continued to protest their innocence."

Four other Britons were also considering legal action. The Manchester-based law firm Pannone & Partners, representing James Lee, Peter Brandon, James Cottle and Glen Ballard, has released a statement saying that no solid evidence of the men’s guilt had ever been produced.

Mr Mitchell, from Kirkintilloch, and Mr Sampson, who was born in Glasgow but holds a Canadian passport, had faced beheading after being convicted of masterminding the attacks.