Al-Moayed alleges mistreatment, requests Yemeni political pressure [Archives:2006/935/Front Page]
By: Amel Al-Ariqi
SANA'A, April 4 ) Sheikh Mohammed Ali Al-Moayed, convicted of financing terrorism in the U.S, complained again about mistreatment in his U.S. jail, urging official pressure by Yemen's government to secure his release.
Al-Moayed, 75, serving a 75-year prison sentence in a Colorado jail, was quoted by his son Ibrahim as complaining of hard physical labor he must undertake as part of his sentence, which led to deterioration in his health. He also complained that U.S authorities, under the excuse of paying his fines, deduct $30 every three months from monthly sums sent by his family.
Ibrahim told September 26 daily on Monday that his father recently contacted the family and informed them that prison authorities barred him from meeting with his defense lawyer in private and that their talks were held behind glass while he was handcuffed.
Quoting his father, Ibrahim said the lawyer hired by U.S. authorities appeared pessimistic about any success in the appeal unless there is political pressure.
Ibrahim said his father urged him to inform President Ali Abdullah Saleh about the development of his case, which needs political pressure more than law.
Al-Moayed was taken to the hospital a couple of times in 2005 when his health began deteriorating. Al-Moayed's family warned of the consequences of keeping him in unsatisfactory conditions due to his asthma, diabetes and high blood pressure.
In a related development, Yemeni lawyer Khalid Al-Onssi said Monday that the U.S. embassy refused to grant him an entry visa to join the team defending and following up Al-Moayed's case.
He said the Foreign Ministry addressed a memorandum to the U.S. embassy in Sana'a stressing Yemen's insistence on following up the case of its citizen held in U.S. jails via lawyers the state has appointed. In the memorandum, the ministry renewed demands for granting Al-Onssi an entry visa to be able to join U.S. lawyers defending Al-Moayed in the appeal phase.
Al-Moayed, a leading Islah party member, and his assistant Mohammed Mohsen Zayed, 32, were arrested January 2003 in Germany. They were turned over to the U.S. after the German government approved extradition under approval by the German Federal Constitutional Court on November 13, 2003.
A Yemeni CIA agent named Muhammad Al-Ansi induced Al-Moayed from Sana'a to Germany, wherein he was arrested by order of the U.S., which accused him of having a connection with members of Al-Qaeda organization and the Islamic resistance movement Hamas.
On July 28, 2005, a Brooklyn, N.Y., court sentenced Al-Moayed to 75 years in prison and fined him $1.25 million. The sentence caused disappointment and discontent among Yemeni political parties, tribal leaders and citizens, who turned out in many demonstrations, denouncing inhumane treatment Al-Moayed and Zayed face while detained in U.S. prison.
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