U.S. Calls for Extraditing Al-Badawi

Director of the Federal Board of Investigations (FBI) Robert Mueller demanded Yemeni authorities to hand over Jamal Al-Badawi to stand before American courts as he is accused of plotting and implementing the attack against the USS Cole in October, 2001.

A source at the Sana'a-based American Embassy mentioned that the U.S stressed the importance of having Al-Badawi trialed before American judiciary for he is among the most wanted terrorists.

Last Wednesday, Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh received Mueller and they discussed issues like fighting terrorism and having wider cooperation at information exchange.

Yemeni authorities also identified the American officer with the recent developments and the result of investigations conducted into the attacks that targeted the American Embassy on March 13 and Hadda residential complex on April 18. The assailants used Hawn mortar shells. 

Both attacks resulted in no American causalities; however, the first attack's shell missed its way and fell in a girl school leaving behind dozen students killed and injured. The second attack left behind no human losses.

Official sources reported that Saleh renewed Yemen's request to American authorities to hand over Sheikh Mohammed Al-Moyyad and his companion Mohammed Zaid. The former is sentenced for 70 years and the latter 15 years. He also requested them to release Yemeni detainees in American base prison located in Cuba's Guantanamo Bay.

Saleh also expressed Yemen's readiness to try any accused person when evidence proving his involvement in terrorist or violent acts become available.