Yemeni president speaks on the US warship explosion

The Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh told the Washington Post that it is possible to direct accusation on the explosion of the US warship USS Cole to Israel or to any intelligence agency aiming at destabilizing Yemeni- US relations.

Saleh said to the Washington Post issued on Sunday that what has been published on the involvement of high ranking Yemeni officials in the incident of the Yemeni explosion aims at creating problems with the American government.

Saleh said that his country will not hand over any of the accused persons in the case of the US warship explosion which took place on October 12 at Aden port and resulted in killing 17 Americans.

Saleh noted that the Yemeni constitution does not permit handing over of accused persons and that the Yemeni authorities are still searching for the main person responsible for the explosion of the warship.

Saleh said that " the master mind" of the explosion was a man called Muhammad Omar al-Harazi who gave his instructions to the two men who carried out the operation, adding that the Yemeni authorities believe that there are certain sides which stand behind him ( al-Harazi).

He told tthe Washington Post " What about witnesses who are necessary to build a case against terrorists? This depends on Yemeni law. A trial will be held here in Yemen in January and we will adopt all constitutional and legal measures."

Worthy mentioning the Yemeni government is planning to try the 6 persons suspected to be involved in the explosion of the US warship in January, 2001.