Abu Dhabi: The State Security Court at the Federal Supreme Court yesterday decided to adjourn until December 9 the case of 15 defendants charged with creating a terrorist organisation linked to the “Freedom Fighters of the Levant”, and “Al Nusra” Group.

The court is expected to announce its verdict at its next sitting.

The court session, presided over by Judge Mohammed Jarrah Al Tunaiji, started with Public Prosecution presenting a written speech signed by the director general of state security.

The speech said, “Our sources say that the Freedom Fighters of the Levant is a terrorist organisation with foreign fighters, and it cooperates with other terrorist organisations in Iraq and the Levant like Al Nasra Group and Al Qaida.”

The court also listened to pleadings by four defence lawyers representing the 11 defendants who were present at the court.

The lawyers all demanded that the accused are found innocent of all charges against them.

“The defendants were forced to confess through the use of force and physical and psychological pressure, which is illegal. The testimonials of officers from state security also do not match what was written in the official documents and the case files. Therefore, the defendants’ confessions are invalid,” the lawyers said.

One of the lawyers, Jasem Al Naqbi, said that “the speech from the director general of state security should not be accepted by the court as there is no official decision internationally to say that the Freedom Fighters of the Levant is a terrorist organisation.”

He added that, “the organisation is not officially listed by the UAE as a terrorist one.”

Al Naqbi demanded that his three clients be cleared of the charges against them, saying that they denied all these accusations during interrogations and provided no proof of their validity.

“Prosecution has not provided the court with any official documents to prove that the defendants transferred money abroad to any terrorist organisation whether via banks or exchange houses. The investigations by state security are all vague, ambiguous, and are not based on facts. They are based on general information that may or may not be true,” the lawyer said.

Meanwhile, another lawyer, Saeed Al Zahmi, demanded another three defendants are cleared of charges.

“Two of the defendants turned themselves in to the UAE embassy in Turkey after they realised the mistake they made by travelling to Syria. They decided on their own to back down, and that it was a mistake to join organisations there. According to article 326 of the penal code, anyone who reports a crime before it happens should be cleared of any punishment. If a person reports a crime after it happens, the court may exempt him from punishment,” he said.

One of the lawyers, Ali Al Manaeei, who was defending one of the accused, said, “There is no physical evidence to prove that my client joined a terrorist organisation whether inside or outside the UAE. Prosecution also has no proof about my client transferring money to organisation inside or outside Syria.”

He added that state security presented no proof about the client committing any of the charges against him, and that the information presented to court was based on private investigations not official ones.

After the lawyers’ pleadings, the judge said that the defendants have an opportunity to address the court in person. The defendants all denied the charges against them and one of them said he had been tortured and forced to confess. They noted that they have done nothing against UAE laws whether inside or outside the country, and swore loyalty to the UAE and its leaders.

One defendant who turned himself in in Turkey said he did so of his own will after realising the mistake he made by travelling to Syria to get in contact with terrorist organisations.

The court session was attended by 14 members of the defendants’ families, seven journalists, and four lawyers.