SAN'A, Yemen, Oct. 26, 2007
Yemen Frees USS Cole Bomb Plotter
Al Qaeda Mastermind Of 2000 Attack On Ship Pardoned After Turning Himself In
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Al Qaeda militant Jamal al-Badawi, was convicted of participation in the October 2000 attack on the USS Cole. (AP Photo/Muhammed Al Qadhi, File)
Jamal al-Badawi, who is wanted by the FBI, was convicted in 2004 of plotting, preparing and helping carry out the USS Cole bombing and received a death sentence that was commuted to 15 years in prison.
He and 22 others, mostly al Qaeda fighters, escaped from prison in 2004. But al-Badawi was granted his freedom after turning himself in 15 days ago and pledging loyalty to Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh, said the official, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the media.
The official said police were told by the government to "stop all previous orders concerning measures adopted against al-Badawi."
Witnesses told The Associated Press that al-Badawi was receiving well-wishers at his home in the al-Buraika district in Aden.
The Interior Ministry said earlier that al-Badawi voluntarily gave himself up to police, but media reports said tribal chiefs mediated his surrender after he renounced terrorism and pledged allegiance to the Yemeni leader.
Al-Badawi had escaped prison once before with nine other suspects of the attack on the Norfolk-based Cole in April 2003, but was rearrested.
Al Qaeda used to have an active presence in Yemen, the ancestral home of Osama bin Laden. The group was blamed for the bombing of the Cole and the attack on a French oil tanker that killed one person two years later.
Also Thursday, a second security official said police have uncovered a terrorist cell composed of four extremists who were recruiting young Yemenis to carry out suicide attacks in Iraq and elsewhere.
The four were allegedly receiving funds from abroad and were recruiting young men in their twenties from mosques and religious seminars during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, said the official, citing their confessions. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the media.
Yemen does not have a law that criminalizes Jihad, or holy war. Detainees remain in prison until they either renounce their commitment to Jihad or are released under pressure from family and human rights groups.
Since the suicide attack in July that killed eight Spanish tourists visiting an ancient Yemeni temple, President Saleh has said in several interviews with local papers that al Qaeda had reached a truce with the government.
© MMVII The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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- "This man has repented and denounced terror. He has also said that he loves the U.S.A and has pledged complete loyalty to the Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh. Lets all calm down here."
Holy cow! What a naive idiot! I can only surmise that you are sympathetic to terrorists and Islamic jihadists . . . you can''t seriously believe that he has repented, or that "repenting and pledging loyalty" is sufficient for the murder of 17 U.S. sailors? - Reply to this comment
- This man has repented and denounced terror. He has also said that he loves the U.S.A and has pledged complete loyalty to the Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh. Lets all calm down here.
- Reply to this comment
- The USS Cole was attacked and 17 of our Navy boys were murdered While Bill Clinton was president! Bill Clinton did ABSOLUTLY NOTHING!! Thats why this SOB is still alive and free!!
Posted by thgdriver at 09:34 AM : Oct 27, 2007
Didn''t Yemen capture and convict 20 some and in 2004 a large group escaped from a Yemen prison.
Why didn''t the Bush Regime tell Yemen to turn Jamal al-Badawi over to us, after all he is still wanted by the FBI ? - Reply to this comment
- Yemen is a despicable country, and this government is NOT a friend or ally of the USA. Look, if you murder even one person in the USA, Europe or basically any civilized country you typically get life in prison. Thus guy killed 17 people, yet he gets around 5 years in jail. Are we serious? Had this guy killed 17 Yemenis, lets say civilians, he would likely have gotten the death penalty. The problem here is that the Yemen government apparently thinks it''s "OK" for someone to kill "infidels". We should withdraw all aid to this country tomorrow, and put them on our "next country to bomb" list. What a bunch of vicious, mindless, savages.
- Reply to this comment
- Yes! Free the SOB so that he can do the job Right this time and so that bush can defend his failed actions.
Posted by watcher269
The USS Cole was attacked and 17 of our Navy boys were murdered While Bill Clinton was president! Bill Clinton did ABSOLUTLY NOTHING!! Thats why this SOB is still alive and free!!
The Jews got it right, they went around the world, found the German criminals, brought them back to Israil, Gave them a fair trial, when found guilty they were HUNG by the neck. Adolph Eichmann comes to mind. Look it up!! Too bad Bill was busy with his his pants down around his ankles to do the same thing the Jews are doing. - Reply to this comment
- Yemen does not have a law that criminalizes Jihad, or holy war.
This is because Jihad actually means struggle to attain a state of holiness, usually referring to the attempt of a person to overcome "material attachments, addictions, and other spiritual weaknesses", that hinder development.
It can also refer to an armed struggle to overcome enemies who threaten the right to practice religion.
So how can any country make laws against these things, unless that country outlaws religion altogether? - Reply to this comment
- two fascist nazi terrorislamistic countries down, iran next, then syria, then???
Bashar Assad and Mahmoud Ahmadinejad looking for spider holes hahaha - Reply to this comment
- Yes! Free the SOB so that he can do the job Right this time and so that bush can defend his failed actions.
- Reply to this comment
- I am Danish not coy !! We Danes do have a sense of fairness ! You betcha...
Posted by IOWEIGN at 01:44 PM : Oct 26, 2007
Posted by IOWEIGN at 05:45 PM : Oct 26, 2007
how is that fascist nazi terrorislamic problem you have going???
was it you that put the headscarf on the little mermaid??? hahaha
fascist nazi terrorislamists say This land belongs to us
Several days of Muslim Riots in Denmark
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1513137/posts - Reply to this comment
- Hmmm...
Jamal al-Badawi, "Strangers in the night, exchanging glances, wondering in the night, what are the chances," a Cruise Missile will be visiting your truck or home, and very soon...
AND, WHAT''S WITH Yemen leadership? Why would they dare do such a thing?
If the U.S. does have such a thing as a S-H-I-@ list, Yemen should certainly be at or near the top.
Jamal al-Badawi is a despicable little rag head who does not deserve to breathe fresh air.
I can hardly wait to see evidence of al-Badawi%u2019s %u201Cassuming room temperature%u201D as Flush Limbaugh would say. - Reply to this comment
- tankersmash,,,,, Now watch Bush stick up for Yemen for releasing him
- Reply to this comment
- tankersmash,,, Don''t sweat it,, he will probably convert & be born-again
- Reply to this comment
- donbl1,,,, How about this for more embarrasement for the Bush administration ?? ---- FEMA gives their own press interview with thier own employees posing as reporters asking pre-written questions
- Reply to this comment
- CORRECTION:
Hungry, the USS Cole bombing occurred in October 2000 and Bush took office in January 2001.
Clinton lobbed some Tomahawks at Afghanistan. A year later we had 9/11.
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Posted by donbl1 at 07:47 PM : Oct 26, 2007 - Reply to this comment
- Hungry, the USS Cole bombing occurred in October 2000 and Bush took office in November.
Clinton lobbed some Tomahawks at Afghanistan. A year later we had 9/11. - Reply to this comment
- Another terrorist loose who is going to kill innocent western civilians. So sad...
Posted by tankersmash at 05:58 PM : Oct 26, 2007
And of course all of the war mongering members of the GOP will blame Clinton, even though it happened a month before he left office, and the incoming president has a record of letting terrorists run free. - Reply to this comment
- IOWEIGN,,,, Your Danish ?? Good, but be carefull these idiots Lars & jowand think Danish is a pastry
Posted by j-whitman at 02:45 PM : Oct 26, 2007
I have something they can kiss !
Posted by IOWEIGN at 04:45 PM : Oct 26, 2007
I''d rather kiss a dead French skunks a** - Reply to this comment
- Another terrorist loose who is going to kill innocent western civilians. So sad...
- Reply to this comment
- I am Danish not coy !! We Danes do have a sense of fairness ! You betcha...
Posted by IOWEIGN at 01:44 PM : Oct 26, 2007
see any good cartoons lately???
Posted by rerrorislam3 at 02:14 PM : Oct 26, 2007
http://politicalhumor.about.com/library/images/blbushcheneybrokeback.htm - Reply to this comment
- Posted by IOWEIGN at 04:45 PM : Oct 26, 2007
another muslim??? hahaha - Reply to this comment
The road ahead in Afghanistan, and the crucial decision Obama faces.
