Saudi trial opens for 85 suspected Al Qaida agents

Riyadh: Saudi Arabia's state news agency says 85 suspected members of Al Qaida accused of taking part in a deadly 2003 terrorist attack have gone on trial in a Riyadh court.

The SPA news agency says some of the defendants were charged with carrying out car bombings on three Riyadh housing compounds for foreigners that killed more than 30 people. Others were charged with attacking security forces, weapons possession, bomb making and armed robbery.

SPA did not say when the men were arrested or why they facing trial now, eight years after the attacks.

However, it claimed their arrest had foiled several plots to bomb two air bases and residential compounds in the eastern region.

It said security forces had confiscated videos documenting some of the defendants' operations.