Navy Commander Dismissed [Archives:2000/49/Front Page]

A presidential decree has recently appointed Brigadier Rowais Abdulla Ali Major commander of Yemens Navy force to replace former commander Brigadier Ahmed Abdulla Al-Hasani who was sacked lately. The changes seem to be a result of a visit recently made by president Ali Abdulla Saleh to Hodeida Naval base.
The changes have also come two months after the USS Cole destroyer blasting incident while mooring for refueling at Aden port on October 12, 2000 killing 17 and wounding 38 on board.
Immediately after the incident, former Navy Commander al-Hasani ruled out the idea that it was a terrorist act stating that it might be the result of a technical failure inside the warship, a speculation the ongoing investigations proved to be inaccurate.
Political observers view the change of the Navy Commander through optimist perspective, expecting that change may not only target the Navy Commander and his men as being responsible for all Yemeni ports but a move that will hit all military and security departments. It is believed that Cole incident disclosed the state of indifference and sense of irresponsibility of Yemeni military officers. The President has taken the initiative to embark on reforming government departments.
In the last few days government sources said the suspects of Cole incident would be presented to prosecution for completing interrogation, a step before making them stand trial. However, official sources confirmed that the Yemeni-US investigators agreed on a mechanism of interrogation and investigations giving US investigators access to the room of interrogation and listen to the suspects. But, reliable sources said the agreement allows US investigators to directly monitor investigation process. The sources added that the two sides disagreed on presenting six of the suspects to prosecution; the US investigators refuse this and say the suspects should not be tried before completing investigations and enough information they believe necessary for accurate and fair trial is gathered.
Prosecution sources said that it was not necessary to shift suspects to the prosecution to be tried for at this phase suspects would be sorted out and then it could be decided who to be tried. This confirms a news report which already said that out of the six suspects only two would appear before court which will turn the other four into witnesses. However investigations and interrogations are still going on.

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