Yemen sentenced on Monday seven Al-Qaeda militants to jail terms ranging from one year to six years after convicting them of forming an armed group which attacked military, security and public installations during 2009-2011.
The specialized penal court in the capital Sanaa ruled the convicts were also involved in attacks on tourists and embassies, looting, bombings and exposing the public security to danger.
The first convict Salah Abdullah Al-Deri, 24-years student, was sentenced to five years in prison and the second Kamal Ghalib Al-Houri, a 22-year driver, was sentenced to three years.
The other five, who included a soldier, a worker and students and were aged between 20 and 30 years old, were given a one-year jail sentence each.
The court acquitted five other people, aged between 22 and 33 years old, who were accused of forming a criminal group.
It ruled the convicts should receive severe punishment for their affiliation to Al-Qaeda and committing heinous crimes.
The verdict was the second against Al-Qaeda members this month.
Earlier, a Yemeni court sentenced two militants to death after convicting them of forming an armed group that carried out deadly attacks against military and security chiefs, personnel, vehicles and offices.
Five months ago, the Yemeni army launched a US-backed offensive and drove Al-Qaeda militants out of their strongholds in Abyan and Shabwa provinces and is now continuing a massive hunt for the remaining operatives.
Many militants and cells have been arrested so far in recent months and are waiting for trials on charges of terrorist acts.