SANAA, Yemen (AP) A state security court in Yemen has convicted five Saudis of entering the country illegally but only sentenced three of them to 18 months in jail.
The Saudis were among suspected al-Qaida militants targeted in a recent wave of U.S. drone strikes. Yemeni authorities say Saudis are increasingly crossing the border into Yemen to deliver funds or receive terrorist training.
The remaining two defendants in Thursday's hearing were sentenced to time already spent in detention and now face deportation to Saudi Arabia.
All five suspects were acquitted of al-Qaida membership.
Yemen's Al-Qaida in The Arabian Peninsula was former through a merger of the terror network's Yemeni and Saudi branches. It is thought to be among the most active of all al-Qaida affiliates.
