SANAA, 8 October 2004 — The appeal hearing of Yemenis convicted of the 2002 bombing of the French supertanker Limburg and other terror attacks will begin on Sunday, court officials said.
One Yemeni was sentenced to death by Sanaa’s criminal court on Aug. 28 and 14 others to prison terms of three to 10 years, including one in absentia.
Sentencing was appealed both by the defense that deemed it too severe and the prosecutor who considered it too lenient.
The defendants, aged between 23 and 27, were convicted of forming an armed group to undermine security in Yemen in attacks including the bombing of the Limburg as it prepared to enter Ash-Shir port off Yemen’s southeastern coast in October 2002.
One Bulgarian was killed and 12 other crew members wounded when an explosives-laden boat rammed the tanker and blew up.
During previous court hearings, defendants shouted “Death to America” and some vowed continued allegiance to Al-Qaeda chief Osama Bin Laden.
