Contrary to the Yemeni Constitution;US urges Yemen to hand over Al Qaeda suspects
Sana'a, June 14, 2008 (YemenOnline) - A senior US counterterrorism official urged Yemen's president on Thursday to hand over two Al Qaeda suspects convicted in Yemen but wanted by Washington, said a US Embassy official. Kenneth Wainstein, Assistant to the President for Homeland Security and Counterterrorism, also told Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh that he should undertake serious measures to combat terrorism, according to the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to talk to the media.
"We need strong and serious measures to be carried out in Yemeni courts to try the terrorists and to hold them accountable," the official quoted Wainstein as saying.
Thursday's meeting came only three days after Yemeni Foreign Minister Abu-Bakr Al Qirbi said the country's constitution bars it from handing over Jaber Elbaneh, a Yemeni-American convicted of planning attacks on oil installations in Yemen, and Jamal Al Badawi, convicted of masterminding the 2000 Al Qaeda bombing of the USS Cole. The issue has strained relations between the two countries.
Washington has indicted Al Badawi and wants to try him for the Cole bombing in the US, but it is seeking Elbaneh's extradition on different charges.
Source: AP
