Cambodia's appeal court here on Friday maintained life sentences for three men convicted in 2004 of conspiring terror attacks against western targets in the country.

A new appeal would be made to Cambodia's supreme court next week, said lawyer Kao Soupha, who was hired by Cambodian Sman Ismael, Thais Abdul Azi Haji Chiming and Muhammad Yalaludin Mading to overthrow the sentences imposed on them by the Phnom Penh Municipal Court 2 years ago for plotting terrorist attacks in Cambodia from 2002 to 2003.

The three were accused of helping Hambali, one of Asia's top terrorist leaders, plan terrorist acts against the U.K. and the U. S. embassies in Cambodia. Hambali of Indonesian nationality, together with an Egyptian and a Malaysian, were tried in absentia at the same court and also received life sentences.

The court believed that Ismael helped arrange a Cambodian visa for Hambali and his travels during his stay in the kingdom, while the other two bought telephone and made other arrangements for him.

Hambali reportedly stayed in Cambodia for several months in 2002, trying to establish a base here to launch regional terrorist attacks. He was widely thought to be a key leader of the Jemaah Islamiyah terror network.

Source: Xinhua