BEIRUT, Lebanon - A Beirut military tribunal has acquitted six Lebanese soldiers and a Syrian national of charges that they belonged to a group linked to the al-Qaeda terrorist network. Thursday's ruling by investigating magistrate Samih al-Hajj stated that "no proof was found relating to them". In January the seven were arrested on suspicion that they were plotting terrorist attacks. Video and audio recordings containing speeches by al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden were found in their possession.

After their arrest, the men told investigators that in 2004 they travelled to Iraq to fight against US troops. There, according to their testimony, they were captured and detained for 10 months in a US military detention centre.

Upon returning to Lebanon the men, according to al-Hajj's sentence, began collecting money to aid insurgents fighting US-led forces in Iraq.

While the men had confessed of taking part in "jihad" there was no evidence suggesting they were linked to al-Qaeda, al-Hajj said. As for the audio and video propaganda materials, these can be purchased easily in Lebanese markets "by any citizen," the judge said. (AKI)