SANAA, 11 December 2003 — Yemen denied yesterday a news report claiming that it had delivered a shipment of North Korean Scud missiles to Libya, an official statement said, quoted by Yemen’s official news agency.
“Such reports are fabricated and baseless. That shipment of weapons belongs to the Yemeni armed forces. It is in their possession and not for any other party,” the statement said.
The Spanish El Mundo newspaper said Tuesday that the United States allowed North Korea to deliver a shipment of Scud missiles to Libya.
Acting on US information, the Spanish Navy intercepted a North Korean ship in the Arabian Sea in December 2002. Spanish marines found 15 Scud missiles and 15 conventional warheads concealed on the ship.
But the United States released the ship and allowed it to continue to Yemen, after the Arab country promised not to buy more.
The Spanish newspaper said that after the ship was intercepted, Yemen mediated between the United States and Libya, which voiced readiness to host Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein in return for the missile shipment.
