Gulf | Yemen

Yemeni-American on FBI 'most wanted' list appears in court

A Yemeni-American, one of the FBI's 26 'most wanted' for terrorism, appeared at a session of his trial in a Yemeni court on Saturday with bodyguards and then walked free, apparently not subject to any form of incarceration, witnesses said.

  • AP
  • Published: 22:35 February 23, 2008
  • Gulf News

Sana'a: A Yemeni-American, one of the FBI's 26 'most wanted' for terrorism, appeared at a session of his trial in a Yemeni court on Saturday with bodyguards and then walked free, apparently not subject to any form of incarceration, witnesses said.

The 41-year-old Jaber Al Banna attended a session of the trial for him and 22 other Al Qaida members charged for a series attacks on oil facilities, a witness said speaking on condition of anonymity.

According to the FBI website, the State Department is offering up to $5 million (about Dh18.25 million) for information leading to his arrest.

Al Banna was convicted and sentenced to 10 years imprisonment in November in a lower court on charges of masterminding two attacks in the eastern Marid and Hadramawt provinces in September 2006.

He and 22 other Al Qaida prisoners broke out of their Yemeni jail in February 2006 by digging a tunnel to a nearby mosque.

He surrendered in May to Yemen authorities but was then never sent back to jail despite the ongoing trial.

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