Sanaa: The Yemen State Security Court started Monday a trial in absentia for the political leader of Al Houthi armed rebellion, Yahya Al Houthi, who is currently living in Germany.
The court's Judge Muhsen Alwan, considered Al Houthi as fugitive from justice, and agreed to try him in absentia after the prosecutor read out the list of charges against Al Houthi.
The prosecutor Saeed Al Akel said that Yemen has sought the help of Interpol to arrest Al Houthi and extradite him as soon as possible.
According to the charges, Yahya Al Houthi formed a militia to overthrow the current system and attempted to restore the royal clerical rule by force. Al Houthi also was accused of ordering people in Saada not to pay Zakat for the state.
"Yahya Badr Al Deen Al Houthi participated in forming an armed terrorist gang and led it during 2004-2009 for carrying out sabotage and criminal acts in a number of places in Yemen and the capital Sanaa," said the prosecutor Al Akel.
"He prepared all means and weapons, ammunitions, explosives, transportation and communication equipments, required for that."
This gang implemented their criminal plan by killing a number of citizens, and soldiers and destructing public and private properties, and they planned for assassinating a number of personalities including the US ambassador," said the prosecutor.
The Prosecutor Saeed Al Akel demanded the court to pass a maximum punishment to Yahya Al Al Houthi.
The Judge Musen Al Alwan ordered setting up of a defence panel for Al Houthi and postponed the session to November 2, 2009.
