Al-Houthi followers stand trial over fueling violence [Archives:2005/868/Front Page]

SANA'A)The Specialist Penal Court tries today some of al-Houthi followers who has been detained on suspicion of forming armed militias to fuel violence in some parts of the country. These militias were supporting cleric Hussein Badriddin al-Houthi who was killed in confrontations with the government troops in Sa'ada last September.

Reliable sources told the Yemen Times the 36 suspects including Ibrahim al-Hakim Sharafaddine, leader of the cell and two of his prominent by-standers will be tried at the court.

The recent investigations assured the prosecution will sue several charges against these suspects covering their involvement in an armed band that plans to carry out acts of vandalism and assaults on the authorities.

The prosecution accuses these suspects of launching offensives on the authorities, attacking military leaders, hurling grenades at cars belonging to Defense Ministry officials and destroying government institutions.

Charges filed against elements of the cell who are standing trial are based on the evidence of arms, ammunition, explosives, transportation means and telephone devices seized in a house taken on lease by the cell. Elements of the cell were found to use unreal names.

The security apparatuses arrested members of the cell in last May after armed confrontations in the capital city of Sana'a.
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