KUALA LUMPUR: The two Malaysian men held by Lebanese authorities over alleged links with the al-Qaeda terrorist movement are still awaiting decision from the Military Tribunal in Beirut.

Razif Mohamad Ariffin, 28 and Mohamad Razin Shahar Mustapha Kamal, 21, were charged before the tribunal with links to al-Qaeda.

On Wednesday, the two men, represented by four lawyers, pleaded not guilty to the charge.

Malaysian Ambassador to Lebanon, Ilango Karuppannan, said the tribunal, presided by three judges, was studying the case before making a decision.

"Decision will not be announced so soon. It takes time. We have to wait," he said when contacted in Beirut.

Pending the outcome of the tribunal, the two Malaysian detainees were being held at a military detention centre in Beirut.

"They are in good health," he added.

Ilango said the decision by the tribunal would determine whether the two men would be brought to the normal court.

"If there is insufficient evidence to implicate the two men, they will be freed, but if the judges find the case to have a strong basis, then they will be tried at the normal court," he added.

Razif and Mohamad Razin Shahar were detained on Oct 18, after they were suspected to have been trained as suicide bombers with links to al-Qaeda.

Ilango said the embassy, as well as family members of the two men, who had been in Lebanon since Sunday, were waiting for the lawyers to brief them on the latest development. - Bernama

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