Gulf | Yemen
White House criticises Yemen for freeing terror mastermind
The White House sharply criticised Yemen for releasing one of the Al Qaida masterminds of the bombing of the destroyer USS
- Agencies
- Published: 00:02 October 28, 2007
- Image Credit: Reuters
- Jamal Al Badawi, was convicted in 2004 of plotting carry out the USS Cole bombing.
Washington/Sana'a: The White House sharply criticised Yemen on Friday for releasing one of the Al Qaida masterminds of the bombing of the destroyer USS Cole in 2000, which killed 17 American sailors.
Jamal Al Badawi, who is wanted by the FBI, was convicted in 2004 of plotting, preparing and helping carry out the USS Cole bombing and received a death sentence that was commuted to 15 years in prison.
He and 22 others, mostly Al Qaida fighters, escaped from prison in 2004. But Al Badawi was granted his freedom after turning himself in 15 days ago and pledging loyalty to Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh, a senior security official in Yemen disclosed on Thursday.
"The United States is dismayed and deeply disappointed in the government of Yemen's decision not to imprison [Al] Badawi," National Security Council spokesman Gordon Johndroe said.
"This action is inconsistent with a deepening of our bilateral counterterrorism cooperation. We have communicated our displeasure to Yemeni officials and will work with the Yemeni government to ensure Al Badawi is held accountable for his past terrorist actions," he said.
Details unknown
Earlier Yemen commuted to house arrest the prison term of Al Badawi after he surrendered to Yemeni authorities.
His relatives said they were allowed to visit Al Badawi at his home in the southern port city of Aden while under police surveillance. Details of the decision to release Al Badawi from prison were not known.
But a Yemeni government official who asked not to be identified said the militant remained "under close scrutiny and control of the security forces". He declined to elaborate.
Al Badawi was one of the architects of the attack on the destroyer Cole that killed 17 US sailors in Aden port.
He is wanted in the US, which offered a $5 million (Dh18.35 million) reward for information leading to his arrest after his escape from jail in 2006, according to the FBI website.
Yemen, the ancestral homeland of Osama Bin Laden, joined the US-led war on terrorism after Al Qaida's September 11, 2001, attacks on the United States. The poor country on the southern tip of the Arabian Peninsula is viewed in the West as a haven for militants.
It has witnessed several deadly attacks against Western targets and tourists, including the bombing of a French oil tanker in 2002.
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