Two Al-Qaeda suspects surrender following tribal mediations [Archives:2007/1051/Front Page]

Mohammed A-Jabri
SANA'A, May 15 ) Two Al-Qaeda-suspects who escaped from prison last year surrendered to Yemeni security authorities on Saturday, according to a local newspaper.

Ray News newspaper reported on Sunday that Jabr Al-Banna and Abdulrahman Basurra surrendered after months of negotiations between tribal mediators and security authorities.

As a condition for their surrender, security authorities said they wouldn't prolong the sentences leveled against the two suspects, the newspaper added.

Al-Banna and Basurra were among 23 suspected Al-Qaeda militants who escaped from the Sana'a-based Political Security detention in February 2006.Continued on page 3

The prisoners escaped via a more than 300-meter long underground tunnel dug underneath the women's prayer yard of Al-Awkaf Mosque to the Political Security Central Prison and crossing the prison yard to the prisoners' cells.

Among the fugitives were Jamal Badawi, leader of the 2000 bombing of the USS Cole destroyer and the 2002 attack on the French supertanker Limburg, and Fawaz Najib Al-Rabei, a Yemeni-American wanted by the United States.

Yemen's Interior Ministry has announced a YR 5 million reward ($25,600) for information leading to the arrest or capture of any one of the Al-Qaeda escapee.

In early October 2006, Yemeni anti-terrorism forces killed Fawaz Yahya Al-Rabei and Mohammed Al-Dailami, who were among the fugitives, in a raid in Sana'a governorate.

Several other fugitives surrendered or were arrested by police.
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