Kidnappings Continue to Grow:   

Students Abdullah Ali Al-Kumaim, 14, and Mohammed Yahya Al-Kumaim, 17, are still detained by a group of tribal people belonging to Sana'a province's Bani Dhabian district; while their families suffer a lot under the forced absence of their children and the continuous threats by kidnappers to kill them.

The family's suffering started on May 30, 2007 as a group of people from Bani Dhabian kidnapped student Abdullah from the capital's 30-meter street along with his cousin Mohamed, who was kidnapped one day later from Taiz Street. Since then, the family has been urging authorities to help release their kidnapped sons and punish the kidnapers, but in vain.

Ali Al-Kumaim told the Yemen Post he is in difference with none and assured he had learned that there is a difference over a plot of land between the kidnappers and an Al-Kumaim tribe affiliate, noting Brig. Ali Muhsen Al-Ahmar mediated and settled the differences.

Another source pointed out that Al-Ahmar mediated to resolve the issue and paid money for the kidnappers and A’l Al-Kumaim and started establishing a grand mall in the plot.

The source added that the two students were kidnapped by some parties who did not receive money from Al-Ahmar and they aim to force authorities to pay ransom in return for their release.

Businessman Al-Kumaim, the kidnapped students' father, has been traveling between parliament and Interior Ministry in an effort to urge concerned authorities to release his sons and to arrest the kidnappers numbering 13.

In return, head of Bani Dhabian district's security department revealed he does not have enough forces by which he can besiege and hunt after the kidnappers who reside in a very tough mountainous area.

Upon his questioning by Parliament, Interior Minister Rashad Al-Alimi pointed out his ministry had spared no effort to release Al-Kumaim's sons and noted they have arrested some people belonging to Bani Dhabian district in what they call 'facing the kidnapping by counter-kidnapping'.

Al-Kumaim did not confine himself to Parliament and Interior Ministry, he complained to the Prime Minster and the President himself who, in their turn, ordered the Ministry of Interior to immediately work for releasing Al-Kumaim sons as well as arresting the kidnappers.

Further, Bani Dhabian locals turned a deaf ear to President Saleh's warnings and they went too far last week as they kidnapped five engineers affiliated with Sana'a province's Education office to join the seven-month detained Al-Kumaim sons. The kidnapping of the engineers brings to three the number of kidnapping cases since the advent of 2008.

For its part, the National Organization for Defending Rights and Freedoms (HOOD) sent a letter to Al-Alimi demanding him, in his capacity, to implement the directives of the general prosecution and President Saleh's directives.

Early in 1998, the concerned authorities issued a law dictating capital punishment for any one practicing kidnapping or torturing and stipulated, as well sentencing those who help kidnappers to terms ranging between 15-20 years, irrespective of the kidnapped person's nationality.

Sources from Al Al-Kumaim tribe expressed their resentment at authorities' negligence of plight of their sons and noted once the victim is from Sanhan the concerned authorities will take an immediate act against the kidnappers as it is the home town of President Saleh and it will be easier to take all measures to ensure the safe return of Al-Kumaim sons.