Interpol: USS Cole Attack Planner Escapes
LYON, France – A man considered a mastermind of the USS Cole bombing that killed 17 sailors in a Yemeni port in 2000 was among 23 people who escaped from a Yemen prison last week, Interpol said Sunday.
The international police agency issued an “urgent global security alert” for those who escaped Friday from the prison via a tunnel. It called the escapees “dangerous individuals.”
A Yemen security official announced the escape of convicted al-Qaida members Friday but did not provide details.
Interpol said in a statement that at least 13 of the 23 escapees were convicted al-Qaida fighters, who escaped via a 140-yard-long tunnel “dug by the prisoners and co-conspirators outside.”
Yemeni officials confirmed to Interpol that a man considered a mastermind of the Cole attack, identified as Jamal al-Badawi, was among those who escaped.
Al-Badawi was among those sentenced to death in September 2004 for plotting the USS Cole attack. Two suicide bombers blew up an explosives-laden boat next to the destroyer as it refueled in the Yemeni port of Aden on Oct. 12, 2000.
Wild Thing’s coment………
I have to wonder if once his sentence came down, lilke it says in article below from Cairo, “This is the first time anyone has been sentenced to death in Yemen for an act of terrorism. “ as of last Sept.2004……… The Epoch Times…….if that is when they started the tunnel. Just a thought anyway.
CAIRO – A court in Yemen has sentenced two al-Qaida members to death for the 2000 bombing of the U.S. Navy destroyer Cole. The attack killed 17 U.S. sailors. This is the first time anyone has been sentenced to death in Yemen for an act of terrorism.
Dumb Me, I just noticed Wild Thing has a cute likeness of herself in a Take No Prisoners poster on the sidebar. No one will get ahead of Wild Thing!
Like California, in Yemen sentencing and carrying out that sentence are two very different things. Yemen’s security is a lot like handing the prisoner the keys and saying “here, go lock yourself up”, no surprise when terrorists are in charge of terrorist prisoners.
Hi Tom (giggle) thanks and yes I am a take no prisoners kind of girl. heh heh
Hi Jack yesss and a big grrrrr thanks for nothing Yemen.
Here’s an interesting development, it appears that Yemen has not issued all the necessary information to Interpol. The escape was discovered on Friday, today is Sunday and Interpol has not issued “Red” notices on the escapees.
Quote: “An Interpol statement said: “Red notices can only be issued by Interpol at the request of member countries and only if they are supported by underlying national arrest warrants.”
Full article here:
http://english.epochtimes.com/news/6-2-5/37803.html
Somthing is very wrong here.
Wow RightToCarry, something is wrong for sure. Thank you for the link and the information.
It makes me wonder who actually dug the tunnel?
Hi Bob, yess and I would bet that the guards helped and maybe even gave them the key to get out. They are Arabs and it has been said that an Arab would sell his own mother for money. So I wouldn’t put anything past what the guards would do and even the government of Yemen.
Yemen is changing a lot, from what I read. I’m not defending them, because what’s the difference between a punk in a turban and an Islamist thug? Not much, but the Yemenis are trending Westward, and I don’t think this is an official act. They’ll get this guy, and they’ll torture everyone necessary in order to do it.
I hope your right Rhod.
Rhod, I sure hope so. I am also glad about what you said that Yemen is changing. I completely understand you are not defending them, and to even have slight changes for the betteris a good thing. Thank you for sharing about this.
I’ve been told that the Yemenis are a bit more like the Kuwaitis and the Jordanians, at least in their attitudes about The West. Small country in need of big friends trumps the narrow concerns of radical Islam. Whether this is true or not, I don’t know. Remember that even if the Cole was attacked there, it was allowed into the port in the first place. We’ll see.
Rhod, interesting things to consider, yes they were allowed in and it could not have beem that they knew of an attack coming. Like you said the country wants and needs to have us on their side. I would if I was a little country.