AL-BANNA SENTENCE REDUCED

UNCLAS SANAA 001826 FOR NEA/ARP:AMACDONALD AND THE OPS CENTER E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PTER PREL PGOV KISL YM SUBJECT: AL-BANNA SENTENCE REDUCED ¶1. International-media reports on November 8 indicated that convicted terrorist Jaber al-Banna's sentence had been reduced by a Yemeni court from 10 years to five. According to Agence France Presse, al-Banna's sentence was reduced because he "handed himself in to the authorities." Reflecting the view of several embassy contacts, local attorney Khalid al-Anisi told a political section LES employee, "it's a political decision," not a legal one. ¶2. The embassy was not given advance warning of the decision. After seeing the press reports, LEGATT telephoned the Prosecutor General, who confirmed that the decision had been made but indicated that before it could be implemented it will need to be ratified by the Supreme Court. When asked for more information, he said he could not discuss the matter over the phone and that any meeting with the embassy would have to be approved by the Attorney General. LEGATT attempts to contact the Attorney General have been unsuccessful. Comment -------------- ¶3. While Post has been unable to verify through official sources if the time al-Banna has already served will count against the five-year sentence, it seems likely that it will. If this is the case, as he served three years in prison before his 2006 escape, his sentence may be completed in less than two years. The evasiveness of a previously cooperative Prosecutor's Office leads LEGATT to believe that it would prefer to shield details of the decision from our scrutiny. Post continues to seek clarification in this case and will report any information it receives. End Comment. SECHE