As Court Tries Three Yemenis over Spying for Israel;  Shin Bet Accuses Yemen of Providing Hamas with Chinese Rockets

The State Specialized Penal Court initiated its series of sessions to try three Yemenis accused of spying for Israel. The three people were referred to court after the respective prosecution had investigated them.

The prosecution representative pointed out that the suspects represent a terrorist group known as "Al-Jihad" whose main task is to collect information about Yemen for the Israeli intelligence together with implementing terrorist operations that undermine the country's stability and security and affect its relation with brotherly and friendly countries.

As mentioned in the indictment, the first suspect contacted the Israeli Prime Minister and his wife through e-mail and claimed that he is from the Islamic Jihad Organization. He also expressed his readiness to act and do what they like.

"We are from the Islamic Jihad Movement. You are Jews, but you, unlike the Arab leaders, are straightforward. We are ready to do anything you wish us to do," said one of the e-mails provided among the supportive documents.  

The indictment further indicated that the three-member group undertaking many different acts prohibited under the effective laws such as blackmailing, forging official documents and establishing fake company for renting cars.

Moreover, the group blackmailed the embassies of Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates and United Kingdom claiming that they can prevent them from possible attacks. They received over $5 million for the blackmailing operations.

The suspects also demanded $5 million to cancel the terrorist acts that were allegedly plotted to target Egyptian Singer Eihab Tawfiq's artistic festival. They also demanded President Saleh to release the prisoners who were arrested in Tareem; or else they would target foreign interests through what they claim to be their sleeping cells.  

The Jerusalem Post reported that some of the long range rockets fired by Hamas were purchased by Yemen from China. The smuggling process is a complex one, as described by the newspapers for these rockets were smuggled to Sudan, then to Egypt and finally to Gaza.