A Yemeni judge on Wednesday sentenced two men to death for orchestrating the suicide bombing of the USS Cole, in which 17 United States sailors were killed.
The judge sentenced four others to prison terms ranging from five to 10 years for the attack on the destroyer on October 12 2000. Terrorists struck as the ship refuelled in the harbour at Aden, Yemen’s second largest city and its economic hub.
Jamal al-Badawi, a 35-year-old Yemeni, and Saudi-born Abd al-Rahim al-Nashiri were both sentenced to death for the planning and prepation of and involvement in the bombing.
Two suicide bombers crashed a small boat laden with explosives into the USS Cole, blasting a hole in its side and causing the 17 deaths and 40 injuries.
The six men were all charged with belonging to al-Qaeda and playing various roles in the attack. The suicide bombers were Ibrahim al-Thawr and Abdullah al-Misawa, both Yemenis.
Nashiri — believed to have masterminded the October 12 2000 bombing — was the only one of the six men convicted not to be in the heavily-guarded court. He is being held in US custody at an undisclosed location.
The US announced Nashiri’s arrest in 2002 after he had been detained in the United Arab Emirates. Washington officials believe he is a close associate of Osama bin Laden. In addition to the attack on the USS Cole, he is suspected of helping to direct the 1998 bombings of US embassies in Kenya and Tanzania.
Judge Najib al-Qaderi sentenced Fahd al-Qasa to 10 years in prison for filming the bombing of the ship, which was later repaired and returned to service.
The court heard that Qasa had travelled to Afghanistan to train at an al-Qaida terrorist camp in 1997, but it was unclear how long he spent there before returning to Yemen.
Maamoun Msouh received an eight-year prison term for delivering money used in preparing and executing the attack and playing a close role in assisting Badawi, while Ali Mohamed Saleh and Murad al-Sirouri were both sentenced to five years for forging identification documents for Misawa.
All the men will appeal against their sentences within 15 days, according to Badawi’s brother.
Following the September 11 2001 attacks on New York and Washington, Yemen — the ancestral home of Bin Laden — has cracked down on militant groups and aligned itself with the US-led ”war on terror”.
The US has since provided equipment to Yemen’s military, enabling officials to heighten security at the port and border controls, and has trained Yemeni security forces.
Earlier this year, the former US president Bill Clinton said he regretted not having seen the USS Cole attack as a greater sign of the threat posed by al-Qaeda. – Guardian Unlimited Â