SANAA, 28 April 2006 — Yemen is preparing to hand over to Saudi authorities next week 16 Saudi nationals wanted for various criminal and terrorist activities, Yemeni government officials announced yesterday.
The officials told Arab News the 16 men were listed on Saudi arrest warrants sent to Yemeni security authorities under a bilateral security cooperation pact. The men had fled to Yemen over the past three months.
Yemen extradited to the Kingdom 69 men last year wanted by Riyadh for alleged links to terror attacks in the Kingdom.
Sanaa and Riyadh have in recent years closely cooperated to curb the movement of suspected terrorists or drug traffickers through their borders. Since 2002, the two countries have been exchanging dozens of suspects, including men accused of links to terror bombings in both countries.
Meanwhile, Crown Prince Sultan is expected to attend Yemen’s celebrations of the 16th anniversary of the reunification, which will be held in the Red Sea city of Houdieda on May 22. The following day Sultan would co-chair with Yemeni Prime Minister Abdul Qader Ba-Jammal meetings of Saudi-Yemeni Higher Coordination Council in the southeastern city of Mukalla.
