Accused al-Qaida Member Caught in Yemen

Chicago Tribune on-line ^ | January 29, 2004 | AP

[NotJustAnotherPrettyFace]

NEW YORK -- The last member of a group of Yemeni-American men from western New York sought by U.S. authorities for attending an al-Qaeda training camp has been taken into custody in Yemen, according to a newspaper report.

Jaber Elbaneh was being held by Yemeni authorities, and negotiations are under way for extradition, The New York Times reported in a story for Thursday editions, citing unidentified officials in Yemen and the United States.

Six men from Lackawanna pleaded guilty last year to aiding a terrorist organization by attending the camp in Afghanistan in 2001.

In December, 31-year-old Sahim Alwan was the final member of the 'Lackawanna Six' sentenced to prison, a term of 9 1/2 years. Alwan, along with Faysal Galab, Mukhtar al-Bakri, Yasein Taher, Yahya Goba and Shafal Mosed, accepted plea bargains which compelled them to cooperate in government terrorism investigations.

Authorities said there was no evidence the Lackawanna group was involved in planning or participated in any terrorist act. But the investigation into the recruiters, financiers and others who may have traveled with the group continues.

[Coop]

I read this morning, IIRC, that Yemen is initially resisting deporting this turd because he holds dual U.S./Yemeni citizenship.