A Canadian man sentenced to death in connection with car bombings in Saudi Arabia could be free in weeks, his lawyer said on Tuesday.

William Sampson has been in a Saudi jail for two years, accused in a pair of fatal bombings in 2000 and 2001. Sampson was sentenced to death, as was British citizen Alexander Mitchell. Belgian Raf Schyvens was given a life sentence.

William Sampson (file photo)
William Sampson (file photo)

On Tuesday, Sheikh Salah al-Hejailan, a Saudi lawyer representing Sampson and two other men convicted in the bombings, said he is appealing to the Saudi royal family for clemency.

"We have all indications of a positive nature that our requests for clemency have been reviewed favourably," al-Hejailan told CBC Newsworld. "We certainly hope that the release of all of them will be in the near future."

Sampson's family has argued that the taped confessions of all three men, which were shown on Saudi television, were coerced.

Western diplomats have suggested the bombings were carried out by Muslim extremists, and the charges against westerners were laid in an effort to cover up the activities of such groups inside Saudi Arabia.

The Saudis said the men were involved in an alcohol bootlegging ring, and the bombings were part of a turf war.

Al-Hejailan said his appeal for clemency is based on the health of the three men, and the length of time they have already spent in jail.

Sampson has shown signs that his mental health is being affected by his experience in jail.

The case is being helped by a letter sent to the Saudi high court last week by Justin Rodway, the eldest son of Christopher Rodway, a British engineer killed in one of the car bombs in Riyadh.

Rodway told the Saudi court he has forgiven the men convicted in the bombing, and asked that they be pardoned.

"In similar cases, clemency has been awarded and I certainly believe that will happen in this case too," said al-Hejailan.

"I certainly hope it would not be months; it would be weeks or days."