“Al-Qaeda suspect Elbaneh imprisoned,” Yemen Observer, May 18, 2008
http://www.yobserver.com/front-page/10014269.html
Justified as being implementation of verdict of first court which had sentenced Elbaneh to 10 years. The political security personnel arrested al- Elbaneh immediately and took him from the court hall to the political security prison.
Wanted Al Qaeda Operative Jailed in Yemen [but won’t be extradited]
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/05/18/AR2008051800968.html
He resurfaced nearly three months ago, on Feb. 23, when he walked unannounced into a cramped Sanaa courtroom, escorted by four bodyguards.
Interrupting a trial of other al-Qaeda suspects, he told the judge his name and declared that all charges against him were bogus. “I haven’t committed any crimes in this country or in the United States,” he said.
He dropped another bombshell by saying he had personally surrendered to Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh and was under his protection. Then he walked out of the courtroom. Stunned court officials did nothing.
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Rashad al-Alimi said the case against him was weak. Alimi said that Elbaneh was cooperating in other investigations and that the government was inclined to treat him leniently.
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“It’s a very traditional thing in Yemen,” Iryani said. “You surrender yourself to a high-ranking official. His surrender was accepted on the basis that he would cooperate.”
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Khaled al-Anesi, a defense attorney who represented Elbaneh before his prison breakout, said the U.S. reward had caught some people’s attention in Yemen.
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“Five million for a bounty is an awful lot of money,” Anesi said. “If I were him, I’d say, ‘I give up, but give this $5 million to my family.’ “