Yemen Won't Yield Suspects

According to the Washington Post:

President Ali Abdullah Saleh said that extradition "is not allowed under our constitution."

Instead, he said, Yemen plans to try next month six persons it believes took part in the apparent suicide bombing of the American destroyer in its port of Aden, killing 17 sailors Oct. 12.

Saleh said his government is still searching for Muhammed Omar al-Harazi, whom it believes gave the instructions to two others who actually carried out the operation.

"He's the main suspect who funded the operation and paid for the safe houses in Aden," the president said. "He's the mastermind, but we believe someone else was behind him."

Yemen's Interior Minister Hussein Arab told Newsweek magazine last week that Yemen has uncovered links in the bombing to Osama bin Laden, whom the United States has blamed for masterminding attacks on two of its embassies in Africa in 1998.

"We think the Cole terrorists have strong links with Afghanistan and we can say, yes, there are links with bin Laden," he said.

However, when the Yemini president was asked about, that he said: "We can't confirm that bin Laden is behind it. We are still saying it might be Israel or a regional intelligence agency – those who are trying to spoil the U.S.-Yemeni relationship.

"Israel is possible, bin Laden as well."