Next week’s session devoted to final appealsSPC decides to release suspect on bail [Archives:2005/849/Front Page]
By Yasser Mohammed
Yemen Times Staff
SANA'A- June 7- While trying the 8 suspects accused of plotting to hit western interests in Yemen, the Special Penal Court (SPC) decided on Monday June 6 to release suspect No. 8 Amran al-Faqih on bail due to his deteriorating health.
The decision was rejected by the Prosecution confirming the suspect is in a stable condition according to a medical report, and jailing him will not cause any harm to his health.
During the hearing, the court agreed to listen to the suspects charged with the formation of an armed gang as well as plotting to attack western interests inside and outside Yemen.
Top suspect Anwar al-Jailani commented: “The case is confusing and there is not enough evidence to bring us before court, and what was presented by the Prosecution is far from reality”.
Second suspect Khalid al-Batati was satisfied with what had been said by his defense-advocate who requested that his client be freed on bail.
Third suspect Abdurrahman Bassurrah emphasized the top suspect deceived them by saying that he went to Afghanistan and was trained with militants.
Bassurah accused al-Jailani of exploiting his sentiments to achieve what he wants including plots to assault the British and Italian embassies and the French Cultural Center. He emphasized that al-Jailani exploited all his money to attain his objects.
Suspect Basurrah denied that he collected information about the French Cultural Center with the aim to bomb it and drew sketch of the Italian Embassy. He made a confession that he drew a sketch of the British Embassy and when he intended to withdraw, al-Jailani threatened to kill him.
Suspects Mohammad Khaiti and his brother Ahmad Khaiti, Syrian nationals, confessed their involvement with al-Jailani who threatened to kill them both unless they aided him to carry out offenses on western interests. The two brothers requested the court to release them in order to continue their university studies.
Suspect No. 6 Mujahid Mizan said he was not involved in the formation of an armed band, and that he neither took any photos nor planned to carry out assaults against foreign embassies in Yemen. He added that he withdrew from the group and his words have never changed on several investigation reports.
Abdulaziz al-Samawi, defense-advocate of the top suspect Anwar al-Jailani absented himself from the hearing, which was attended by lawyers of other suspects.
One of the lawyers affirmed that the evidence presented by the Prosecution in the two previous hearings were not relevant to charges of his clients. He signaled out that anyone can have a computer and it is illogical for the documents presented by the prosecution to be classified among plans of the armed band. He claimed that all these evidences are not true and all his clients should be acquitted.
The eight suspects are also accused of plotting to assassinate Yemeni senior government officials.
The court decided that next week's session will be devoted for final case-related appeals.
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