Meeting between President and Al-Rizami fails [Archives:2005/803/Local News]

Hassan Al-Zaidi
Sources have told the Yemen Times that Abdullah Al-Rizami returned to Sa'ada last Sunday after the failure of the meeting arranged by some mediators between him and President Saleh.

The sources mentioned that the President had insisted on the presence of Badraddine Al-Houthi, the father of rebel Hussein Al-Houthi who was killed by government forces a few months ago, who is currently hiding at Al-Rizami's house. The father of Hussein Al-Houthi claims the authorities must give him the corpse of his son in order to bury it.

Al-Rizami is to be responsible for organizing the Believing Youths after the death of cleric Al-Houthi.

The mediators succeeded in convincing Al-Rizami and some of his followers to come to Sana'a to negotiate with the authorities on possible alternatives to war.

However Al-Rizami and his supporters still insist on chanting the slogan “death is for America and Israel”, necessitating negotiations being held in the capital.

Abdullah Al-Rizami is still receiving treatment at the Military Hospital in Sana'a after his thigh was badly injured during the fighting in Sa'ada.

In related news, the first session of the punitive court was held last Sunday concerning the trial of Al-Dailami and Sheikh Mohammad Miftah for allegedly having links with Sa'ada rebellion.

Al-Dailami allegedly sparked violence and formed an association without a government permit.

Al-Dailami and Miftah were detained by the Political Security Office immediately after the events in Sa'ada for their affiliation to the Zaidi movement in Yemen.

The advocate of the defendants sent a letter to the President stating that the trial is politicized and that his clients have never had any links to violence.
——
[archive-e:803-v:13-y:2005-d:2005-01-03-p:ln]