The simplicity of Yemeni expatriates in New York was the reason why Sharif Mobley and his family went to Yemen in 2008 to study Arabic, said Zenja Mobley, wife of terror suspect Sharif Mobley.

"We did not expect that our visit to Yemen would become a living hell after we lived there for two years quietly and in peace."
Zenja complained that her husband, now facing the death penalty, was even investigated with at the U.S. Embassy because he was "bearded and was interested in religious affairs".
She accuses the U.S. Embassy of ignoring the issue of her husband. She adds that the U.S. Embassy refused to give her a translator when she asked for one.
Mobley's U.S. lawyer, Cori Crider added that U.S. intelligence officers threatened Sharif that they would torture his family as well if he does not specify where Anwar Awlaki, a terror suspect, was. Crider added that investigators told him that he and his family would be raped in Yemeni prisons if he does not cooperate.
She added that the reason why Sharif was taken to the hospital was due to his bad health situation after being held in an underground prison, which in result, made his health condition bad.
According to the Crider, after Mobley spent two months in prison, American investigators approached him again, and when they did not find the information they wanted from Sharif, they threatened to treat his family the same way. She claims that Mobley was tortured in prison.
Meanwhile, his wife claims that she recognized a number of Yemeni officers who searched her house when she went to the embassy and are employed at the U.S. Embassy in Sana'a.

On January 24, 2009, governmental troops wearing masks abducted Mobley early on the 24th of last January, in front of Maqaleh Grocery Store in the Asbahi area of the capital Sana'a.
He is now being trialed not on terror charges, but for killing a soldier. Yemeni government has said that there is no proof that Mobley is linked to terrorism.