Twenty-nine members of a shadowy Muslim cult pleaded not guilty yesterday to charges of attempting to wage war against the country's king.

A High Court in Kuala Lumpur set September 11 for the start of the hearing for the members of the Al-Ma'unah group over an arms heist and hostage crisis in July. The charges carry the death penalty or life imprisonment.

All were denied bail in the courtroom, the same court where former Finance Minister Anwar Ibrahim was sentenced on Tuesday to nine years in jail for sodomy.

(China Daily 2000/08/10)