Court Commutes Sentences Against British Embassy Bombers [Archives:2001/42/Front Page]

The Penal Appeal Court of Sana’a issued its final verdict last Tuesday against four people charged with bombing the UK embassy in Sana’a on October 13, 2000.
The appeal court reduced the sentences of the attackers. Abubaker Jayol and Ahmad Masud were sentenced to 10 years in prison.
Salam Abu Jahil was sentenced to four years while Faris S. Taher to 2 years. The first and second attackers are also to pay three quarters of the compensation on the material damage, while Salam and Taher will pay the other quarter.
The Primary Court issued its verdict against these defendants July 22, 2001, giving long sentences. Jayol and Masud were sentenced to 15 years, while Salam 6 years and Faris four years.
The appeal court verdict was unexpected as in its last hearing session, the court judge Saeed al-Qata’a said that the final verdict would be passed on Tuesday, October 16. The court didn’t give reasons for making the date a bit earlier than expected.
The first two attackers confessed to carrying out the bombing operation of the UK Embassy to protest the Israeli atrocities against the Palestinians, considering Britain the major cause of Muslim’s plight.
Later, Masud denied his confessions in court and said he was used by the ex-Interior Minister, Hussein Arab, to settle his scores with Jayol. He added that he attempted planting bombs beside Arab’s house in cooperation with one of his guards to hold Jayol accountable for the operation. Masud also said he informed Arab two days earlier of the bombing attacks that took place in Aden last January, but Arab absolutely denied such allegations.
No comments have been made by the UK embassy on the verdict. However, the British Ambassador to Yemen, Frances Guy, told the Yemen Times two weeks ago that they are happy with the verdict of the primary court and the speed in which the case has been moving, as well as the way the investigations into the bombing have been carried out. She also pointed out that officials from Scotland Yard helped the Yemeni police in the investigations. They handed their results to the Yemeni authorities. These documents were used by the people in the court for consultation.

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