Yemen asks Washington to lift accusations on Zindani [Archives:2005/880/Local News]
Hassan Al-Zaidi
SANA'A- Sept. 24- In a petition to the US government, Yemen asked the American authorities to lift the accusation on Sheikh Abdulmajeed Alzandani, head of Al-Iman University and head of the consultant council of Islah party, one of the largest opposition parties in Yemen.
26th September newspaper, which is close to the president, said in its Thursday issue, that many of the information on which the Americans based their accusations were not true, and it depended on reports for newspapers that oppose the Sheikh.
The newspaper continued that if there are any accusations against Zandani, they should be presented to the Yemeni government, which will take legal measures against him.
The official response came after Sheikh Zandani evoked the President to stand to his side to lift his name from the accusation list. Zandani accuses the government of ignoring him by deliberately hiding the facts and he wondered why the Yemeni representative in UN did not defend him when the decision against him was being discussed in the Security Council.
Sheikh Zandani said that the president had promised him that he would discuss his case with the American authorities during his next visit to America.
In 2004 American treasury accused Zandani of having cooperated with Bin Ladin for many years, and considered him to be one of his leaders, one of the organizers of training camps and of having an active role in purchasing arms for terrorist organizations. They asked The UN to add his name to the terrorist's lists.
Following the official American declaration of adding Zandani to the Terrorist's list, Yemeni Government asked the American government to present material proof for their accusations.
Zandani's disciples now guard him heavily, and his escort is said to be equal to that of the president.
Zandani has lately limited his movements and is said to be dedicating himself to his new invented medicine for treating diabetes. Many patients are now crowding to be treated by this new medicine. Sources say that he has tried to find a medicine to cure AIDS, following his announcement that he cured a woman who used to have aids.
Al-Iman University, which is headed by Zandani, is facing hard times now after the contraction of the local and international economic aid that it used to receive. This matter decreased the number of its students that were once 6000.
Zandani declared that as a Yemeni citizen, he has the right to be protected by the Yemeni government.
Zandani is a famous Islamic cleric in Yemen and a prominent leader of the Islah Party. He is considered to be the most popular in this party.
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