Al-Moayad and Zayed arrive in Sana'a
Posted by Media Office on 2009-08-11 10:04:23 EDT
Hundreds of Yemeni people have flocked to the Sana'a International Airport receiving sheikh Mohammed Hassan al-Moayad and his aide Mohammed Zayed fresh from a US prison. The two were ordered freed on Friday after they pleaded guilty to some charges against them and sentenced to time served since they were arrested in Germany and extradited to the US in 2003. Ministers of Foreign, Endowments and Guidance and Human Rights as well as Yemeni clerics and MPs and Shoura Council members were on top of the receivers. On Monday, the two landed in Dubai on a stopover coming from the US. Late last week and after a New York appeals court hearing, the two were ordered released and transferred to their homeland after they pleaded guilty to some charges including providing financial support to the Palestinian Hamas movement. The two were arrested in Germany and extradited to the US in 2003 where they have been jailed for more than 6 years. They faced terrorism charges including providing material support for organizations designated by the US as terrorist.In 2005, the two were sentenced to 75 and 45 years in prison respectively. In October 2008, the convictions were overturned for them with the US later saying a retrial would be set for the two in 2009. The health of al-Moayad, in his 60s, has deteriorated while in prison and he underwent some surgeries.