Yemen seeks to stop German decision to hand al-Mu'ayad to Washington
Yemen-Germany, Local, 7/22/2003

Yemen has stressed its determination to seek by all political and legal means to stop a decision taken by Frankfurt court on the ability of handing over Sheikh Muhammad Ali al- Mu'awyad and his escort who are being held in Germany since January to the USA.

A statement by the Yemeni embassy in Berlin said that al-Mu'ayad's lawyers and his escort will ask the Supreme German constitutional court to cancel the decision of the Frankfurt court in being invalid.

The statement renewed the position of the Yemeni government which considered that dragging al-Mu'ayad and his escort to Germany and then arresting them is a matter that contradicts with international law and a violation to Yemen's sovereignty. The Yemeni Islah ( reform ) party expressed regret over this sentence.

In a statement, al-Mu'ayad's lawyer Akhen Shlout said that he -- together with other two lawyers -- were able to show the several points which are a violation to the German law in the decision of the court, including the detention process which came after a fabricated kidnapping. The lawyer stressed he will appeal against the sentence to the Supreme Constitutional court in Germany.

He added that there are several incorrect accusations addressed to the two men from intelligence sources, and are not evidences, He also indicated what he called pressures by the US against Germany concerning this case.

However, a court in Frankfurt had sentenced to hand to the USA Sheikh Muhammad Ali al-Mu'ayad and his escort Muhammad Yahya who are detained in Germany since January 10th over being suspected as two members in al-Qaida organization led by Osama Bin Laden.

A spokesman for the court said that the final decision concerning the hand over operation is decided by the German government, noting that the court got guarantees from Washington not to try the two men before a military or a special court. Imam al-Mu'ayad, the chairman of al-Ihsan al-Kheiri charity in Sanaa was arrested with his escort at Frankfurt airport at the request of the US under accusations of having ties to al-Qaida organization.

He was introduced by the German papers as the financial director for Osama Bin Laden. However, al- Mu'ayad was dragged to Germany to meet with an American Muslim businessman that wanted to give financial aid to Yemeni charity societies.

Previous Stories:
  German government lifts travel restrictions to Yemen   (1/16/2002)
  Yemeni President confers with Schroeder   (12/1/2001)
  One Yemeni released in Germany   (10/19/2001)
  German hostage freed in Yemen   (9/25/2001)

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