R 101048Z NOV 08
FM AMEMBASSY SANAA
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 0606

UNCLAS SANAA 001826 
 
 
FOR NEA/ARP:AMACDONALD AND THE OPS CENTER 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PTER PREL PGOV KISL YM
SUBJECT: AL-BANNA SENTENCE REDUCED 
 
¶1.  International-media reports on November 8 indicated that 
convicted terrorist Jaber al-Banna's sentence had been 
reduced by a Yemeni court from 10 years to five.  According 
to Agence France Presse, al-Banna's sentence was reduced 
because he "handed himself in to the authorities." 
Reflecting the view of several embassy contacts, local 
attorney Khalid al-Anisi told a political section LES 
employee, "it's a political decision," not a legal one. 
 
¶2.  The embassy was not given advance warning of the 
decision.  After seeing the press reports, LEGATT telephoned 
the Prosecutor General, who confirmed that the decision had 
been made but indicated that before it could be implemented 
it will need to be ratified by the Supreme Court.  When asked 
for more information, he said he could not discuss the matter 
over the phone and that any meeting with the embassy would 
have to be approved by the Attorney General.  LEGATT attempts 
to contact the Attorney General have been unsuccessful. 
 
Comment 
------- 
 
¶3.  While Post has been unable to verify through official 
sources if the time al-Banna has already served will count 
against the five-year sentence, it seems likely that it will. 
 If this is the case, as he served three years in prison 
before his 2006 escape, his sentence may be completed in less 
than two years.  The evasiveness of a previously cooperative 
Prosecutor's Office leads LEGATT to believe that it would 
prefer to shield details of the decision from our scrutiny. 
Post continues to seek clarification in this case and will 
report any information it receives.  End Comment. 
 
 
SECHE