DATE=5/5/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-248986
TITLE=YEMEN SENTENCES (L)
BYLINE=SCOTT BOBB
DATELINE=CAIRO
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: A COURT IN YEMEN HAS SENTENCED THREE ISLAMIC MILITANTS TO
DEATH FOR KIDNAPPING 16 FOREIGN TOURISTS LAST YEAR. AS V-O-A
CORRESPONDENT SCOTT BOBB REPORTS FROM OUR MIDDLE EAST BUREAU,
FOUR TOURISTS WERE KILLED IN A RESCUE ATTEMPT BY YEMENI
AUTHORITIES.
TEXT: THE YEMENI JUDGE (WEDNESDAY) PASSED THE DEATH SENTENCE
ON THREE DEFENDANTS AND SENTENCED ANOTHER TO 20 YEARS IN PRISON.
T HE JUDGE ACQUITTED THE REMAINING 10 DEFENDANTS, NINE OF WHOM
WERE TRIED IN ABSENTIA.
THE DEFENDANTS WERE CHARGED WITH KIDNAPPING, SABOTAGE, AND TRYING
TO DESTABILIZE THE GOVERNMENT. DEFENSE LAWYERS SAY THEY WILL
APPEAL THE VERDICTS. THE LEADER OF THE GROUP RESPONDED BY
CALLING ON SUPPORTERS TO RESUME THEIR STRUGGLE AGAINST THE WEST
WITHIN 20 DAYS.
THE GROUP LAST DECEMBER KIDNAPPED 16 TOURISTS FROM BRITAIN,
AUSTRALIA AND THE UNITED STATES. SECURITY FORCES SUBSEQUENTLY
LAUNCHED AN ASSAULT TO FREE THEM IN WHICH FOUR TOURISTS AND THREE
KIDNAPPERS WERE KILLED.
THE MILITANTS BELONG TO A GROUP CALLED THE ADEN-ABYAN ISLAMIC
ARMY WHICH OPPOSES WESTERN POLICIES AND THE WESTERN MILITARY
PRESENCE IN THE MIDDLE EAST. IT IS SAID TO BE ASSOCIATED WITH
THE ISLAMIC JIHAD GROUP, WHICH HAS COME UNDER INCREASING PRESSURE
FROM SECURITY FORCES IN A NUMBER OF COUNTRIES IN THE REGION.
A SEPARATE GROUP OF 10 OTHER DEFENDANTS ARE ALSO ON TRIAL IN
YEMEN ON CHARGES OF PLOTTING A BOMBING CAMPAIGN IN THE COUNTRY.
SUPPORTERS OF THIS GROUP HAVE WARNED TOURISTS TO STOP VISITING
YEMEN.
DOZENS OF TOURISTS HAVE BEEN KIDNAPPED IN YEMEN IN RECENT YEARS,
USUALLY BY DISGRUNTLED CITIZENS WITH GRIEVANCES AGAINST THE
GOVERNMENT. THE KIDNAPPINGS LAST DECEMBER WERE THE FIRST BY AN
ISLAMIC GROUP AND WERE REPORTEDLY AIMED AT OBTAINING THE RELEASE
OF AN IMPRISONED COLLEAGUE. (SIGNED)
NEB/SB/JWH
05-May-99 8:08 AM EDT (1208 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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