NOUAKCHOTT, June 5 (Reuters) - A Mauritanian court on Tuesday acquitted 16 Islamists of charges of threatening state security in the Saharan nation, court officials said.

A 17th accused was cleared of the security charges but was found guilty of carrying illegal arms and false documents and jailed for two years after the two-week trial of a group of suspected Islamic militants, some accused of links to al Qaeda.

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