Yemen sentences two al-Qaida affiliates to death

A Yemeni Specialized Criminal court sentenced two Yemenis convicted of affiliation to al-Qaida and involving in armed gang to death on Wednesday, the state-run Saba news agency reported.

The court verdict named the two al-Qaida affiliates as Mubarak Ali Hadi al-Shabwany, 23, and Mansour Saleh Salem Daleel, 18, who were arrested on December 11 last year in Marib province, northeast of the capital Sanaa, Saba said.

The Sanaa-based court said in its ruling that the two defendants were found guilty of killing military officers along with their escorts on Nov. 3, 2009 in the southeast province of Hadramout.

They were also accused of participating in forming an armed gang affiliated to al-Qaida in Marib province to carry out terrorist acts including killing government's security and military personnel as well as some civilians.

Yemen, one of the poorest Arab countries facing a growing al- Qaida militancy, has been launching an anti-terrorism campaign including air raids against al-Qaida militants in its southern and eastern provinces.

Source: Xinhua