Following explosion that rocked the city’s court in Ibb:Tensions running high [Archives:2003/636/Local News]

Ibrahim Addahhan
Ibb – Tensions are running high in Ibb following last week's explosion that rocked the city's appeal court on Wednesday. The court's judge was slightly injured when a detonated bomb exploded in the court's hall. A Yemeni official source denied any political motives behind the explosion which took place in the court in which the trial of the murderer of the three US doctors took place. The official source who first said the explosion left no casualties expect the injury of Judge Hizam Mohammed Mufadhal. The official source said a number of people entered the court and demanded the judge to release one of their relatives who was tried with charges of murder. However, when they were expelled out, an explosion took place. Police arrested some of the people and investigations into the incident are taking still place.
An official source however could not confirm this information and issued contradictory statements. While he said in his first statement that there were no people in the court's hall during the explosion except the judge, he said in the second statement that there was a hearing session. However, no evidence was provided linking the explosion to the recent death sentence verdict issued against the murderer of the US doctors, Abed al-Kamil.
Yemen Times was able to visit the judge, who was in a relatively stable condition while being treated at a hospital in the city. About the incident he said, “we had four cases that day and while I was referring to the files of one of the cases, three people from Al-Maszqoori family whose case was to be seen next Wednesday came to me and requested that I look into their case the same day. I refused their request saying that I didn't have their file with me as I had scheduled their case for the following week. At the beginning, it seemed they were convinced and left, but they came back later and tried again, until I asked them to leave. Five minutes later, the explosion took place.
The judge had come early that day to revise the files for the cases he was to see on the same day and to book the hall for sessions. “I never thought such an incident would happen in my court.” he said.
Judge Ahmed Al-Fadhly called upon authorities to follow up the issue and bring those responsible to justice. He also urged them to enhance security conditions in courts and control the carrying and use of weapons.
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