Christian Message Boards: Yemen Leader: Surrender, al Qaida

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Posted by barrykind (Member # 35) on :

Yemen Leader: Surrender, al Qaida
published 09:41 PM - AUGUST 26, 2002 Eastern Time

SAN`A, Yemen (AP) _ Yemen's president urged suspected members of al-Qaida believed hiding in the provinces to surrender on Monday, promising they won't be handed over to the United States.

Ali Abdullah Saleh said the suspected al-Qaida members were mentioned during the interrogation of prisoners detained at the U.S. Naval base at Guantanamo Bay.

He said his government has dispatched clerics to track them down.

"They have to surrender and reveal the information they have and they will enjoy safety," said Saleh.

"If you haven't committed any hostile acts or violent deeds, you are part of us and we will not make you stand trial and we will not hand you over to the Americans," Saleh said. "We are not going to hand over any Yemeni citizen to any foreign country."

Saleh did not say how many suspected al-Qaida members are at large in Yemen.

Following the Sept. 11 attacks, Yemen committed itself to joining the war on terrorism and has allowed American forces to enter the country to train its military to combat terrorists.

Authorities also have pursued and arrested suspected al-Qaida militants in lawless tribal areas. Scores are believed jailed.

Yemen, long a a hotbed of terrorist activity, became a top U.S. concern after the October 2000 attack on the destroyer USS Cole that killed 17 American sailors in Aden. The blast was blamed on al-Qaida.

Yemen has experienced a wave of bombings in recent months against security officials and government offices. Al-Qaida supporters have claimed responsibility for the bombings, saying they were triggered by the Yemeni government's support for American policy in the country.