Yemen releases accused in USS Cole attack

The Yemeni authorities yesterday released one of the accused who was involved in the attack on USS Cole at the Aden harbour two years ago.

According to a communique issued by the National Organisation for Defending Liberties and Rights (NODLR), a non-governmental organisation, President Ali Abdullah Saleh directed the political security organisation (intelligence) to release Basheer Ali Nasser Al Shadadi.

He was arrested following the suicide bombing of the U.S. destroyer, USS Cole.

The communique which was obtained by Gulf News confirmed that the investigations revealed that Al Shadadi did not participate in the attack on USS Cole on October 12, 2000, and that he had nothing to do with the September 11 attacks as the United States stated by the end of last year.

The NODLR, headed by Islamic parliamentarian Mohammed Najee Alaw, said the step augur well as President Ali Abdullah Saleh responded to an appeal for releasing all detainees or bringing them to court.

The FBI listed Basheer Al Shadadi along with Issam Dabwan Al Mekhlafi, Ahmed Al Khadhr Al Baidhani, and Fawaz Al Rabee among the most wanted suspects with links to Al Qaida organisation.

The Yemeni authorities, however, confirmed at the time that the men were in custody of the intelligence except for Fawaz Al Rabee, who was allegedly in charge of the Cole attack that killed 19 U.S. sailors.

Meanwhile, a four-member delegation from the Amnesty International visited Yemen last week to ascertain the condition of those detained after the Cole attack and September 11 incidents.

An unknown group, calling itself the Al Qaida Sympathisers, demanded the release of 173 detainees after claiming responsibilities for a series of bombings in Sanaa over the last few months. The government sources say there are only 85 detainees.