Yemeni gets death sentence, two jailed for spying with Israel

By Nasser Arrabyee/03/04/2010

A death sentence against a Yemeni young man and jail terms against two others were upheld Saturday for spying with Israel.

The Appeal State Security Court upheld the death sentence against Bassam Abdullah Al Haidari, in late 20s, and reduced from five to three years jail term to Ali Abdullah Al Azzi Mahfal, and upheld the three years in prison against Emad Ali Saad Hamoud Al Raimi over charges of spying with Israel.

The primary verdict against the three men, all in their 20s, was issued on March 23rd, 2009.

The three men, Bassam Al Haidari was their leader, were accused of contacting with the office of the Israeli prime minister Ehud Olmert through emails.

The prosecutor said, the three men contacted with Israel and foreign embassies claiming they were an Islamic Jihad organization.

One of the emails which were read by the prosecutor in the court room said," We are the Islamic Jihad organization, and you are Jews, but you are truthful and we are read to do anything for you." The email was from Bassam Al Haidari to the Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert.


The reply from the Prime Minister's Office to Bassam was," We are ready to support you as our agents in the middle east."


The three men were also accused of sending untrue news to foreign embassies and TV channels in which they claimed responsibility for terrorist acts in Yemen against government and foreign interests.