Yemeni panel meets kin of detainees

A parliamentary fact-finding committee charge with looking into the conditions of those detained in Yemen after the Cole and September 11 attacks started receiving the families and relatives of the detainees yesterday.

"We expect to receive more than 60 families from all over the country," MP Mohammed Najee Alaw, member the committee told Gulf News.

The nine-member committee was divided into three groups with each one sitting with one family taking all information about the detainee and circumstances of the detention.

"My 20-year old cousin Khalid Ali Saeed was detained about two years ago while he was preparing to travel for jihad with one of his friends," Nasr Rashid Saeed, told Gulf News on the sidelines of the meeting with families which was held in Parliament headquarters.

"Now," he added, "I'm allowed to meet him from time to time in custody in the headquarters of the Political Security (Intelligence), but he only wants to get released, he no longer speaks about jihad."

Zakiah Ali Mohssen, mother of Abdullah Saleh Al Hakem, 35, said, "My son Abdullah was detained in the aftermath of the Cole attack only because he was bearded, he is innocent."

She added "I want the government to get him freed to support these children," pointing to two of his children who came with her. She is now caring for her son's children. She said she visits her son every Thursday and Friday.

Ali Muzeed Al Jamah, the uncle of Saleh Mane'e Al Najar said, "All the procedures of detention are wrong and unjust and the government is doing this only to please America, our enemy, yes our enemy."

The Yemeni Parliament formed the fact-finding committee last Wednesday following a complaint to the Speaker and members of the parliament by the families and relatives of the detainees.

Afetr meeting the families and the bodies concerned, the committee will submit a report to parliament about the status of the detainees.