Abu Dhabi: The trial of a 15-member group linked to Al Qaida-linked Al Nusra Front and Ahrar Al Sham Brigade at the Federal Supreme Court was adjourned on Monday to September 23, when the defence lawyers will present their arguments.

The suspects, including Emiratis, Syrians and persons without proper documents, are charged with joining two terrorist organisations, namely, Jabhat Al Nusra, Arabic for Nusra Front, a rebel group in Syria fighting government troops loyal to President Bashar Al Assad, and Ahrar Al Sham, a hardline rebel group in Syria that is part of an alliance of seven groups known as the Islamic Front, to fight in Syria.

Four suspects are on the run, four others were recently charged, while the trial, presided over by Justice Mohammad Al Jarrah Al Tunaiji, began in July, according to court documents.

The men were also charged with recruiting members and raising money for the two terrorist groups as well as making explosives and possessing firearms without licences, said prosecutor Saqr Saif, who read out the indictment.

They were accused of establishing a website and a Facebook page to publish the terrorist thoughts of Al Qaida.

A new law to combat terrorism which was endorsed last month established “terrorist” capital offences which result in the death of a victim, including attacks on a head of state or his family or a representative or officer of a state; coerced recruitment of individuals into a “terrorist” organisation; hijacking; hostage-taking; infringement of diplomatic or consular premises in committing a “terrorist” act; use of nuclear, chemical or biological weapons and assaulting security forces.

Convicted terrorists will face capital punishment, life imprisonment and fines of up to Dh100 million, according to the new legislation.

The law defines a terrorist offence as “any action or inaction made a crime by this law and every action or inaction made a crime by any other law if they are carried out for a terrorist cause”.

A terrorist intent is established by a direct or indirect terrorist result or when an offender knows that the action or inaction leads, in its nature or context, to terrorist results.

Terrorist results include inciting fear among a group of people, killing them, or causing them serious physical injury, or inflicting substantial damage to property or the environment, or disrupting security of the international community, or opposing the country, or influencing the public authorities of the country or another country or international organisation while discharging its duties, or receiving a privilege from the country or another country or an international organisation, according to the draft law.

According to prosecutors, the defendants are also being tried under the UAE’s cyber crime law, which stipulates a jail term of not less than five years and a Dh1 million fine for anyone creating or running an electronic site to publish information online or through any information technology means to promote any terrorist groups. They are also tried under environment protection laws.