Nayrouz News Agency : The State Security Court (SSC) Sunday heard from five prosecution witnesses against 17 defendants in the high-profile Zarqa assault case in which the suspects cut off the upper limbs of a 15-year-old boy and gouged out one of his eyes.

Following the witness testimonies, the court adjourned the trial for Sunday, December 6th to hear additional testimonies from 21 witnesses in the case which includes charges that might warrant the capital punishment.

In its first public session held last week, the court indicted the 17 defendants, including a fugitive, with multiple charges including: Forming a gang, attempted murder, causing permanent disability, kidnapping, indecent assault, carrying out a terrorist act and spreading fear among the public, carrying and possessing blunt instruments, carrying and possessing a firearm without a license, and resisting security forces.

The assault, which drew wide public uproar, occurred in October when the group kidnapped the boy from the street and brutally assaulted him, purportedly, in revenge of a previous homicide.