The trial of the ten bombing suspects began in April 1999. According to the prosecution, the eight British and two French nationals accused of plotting terrorist attacks in Yemen are linked to, and were in contact with, the self-confessed leader of the kidnapping gang, Zein al-Abideen al-Mehdar.

One of the suspects, Shahid Bat, a Briton of Pakistani origin, told the Yemeni court in late April that he had received military training in Yemen before his arrest but he was not planning any sabotage activities in Yemen. Bat reportedly testified that Abu Hamza al-Masri had recruited him at the London mosque he attended and sent him for military training in Yemen so that he would be ready to fight for needy Muslims outside Yemen.

According to the British media, Mohsin Ghalain, Abu Hamza's stepson, admitted to Yemeni authorities that he had received $2,000 from the Supporters of Shariah to detonate bombs against British and western targets in Aden. He also reportedly admitted meeting with al-Mehdar. Defendant Malik Nasser Harhra admitted learning to use guns and explosives at a training camp run by al-Mehdar. The other suspects, including Abu Hamza's son, confessed to various crimes as well but later retracted their confessions claiming that they were made under torture.

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