Yemen terrorist trial begins

YEMEN’S Specialist State Security Court yesterday began the trial of four former Iraqi intelligence officers accused of planning to blow up the British and US embassies in the Yemeni capital when the war in Iraq got underway in March 2003.

Three of the four defendants were arrested on March 26, 2003, six days after the war began, before they were able to carry out the plot. The fourth, Ali Ratib al-Saadi, is being tried in absentia.

Ahmed Salman Omar Daoud al-Zubeidy, Ahmed Muthana Jassim and Mohammed Mahdi Assim denied the charges read out by Judge Mohammed al-Baadani.

They claim they arrived in Yemen to work as teachers. Prosecutors say police found explosives in their apartment.

The trial was adjourned to August 14 to allow the defendants to appoint lawyers.