SANAA, Yemen – Jamal al-Badawi, a Yemeni man convicted of plotting the bombing of the USS Cole in 2000, which resulted in the death of 17 US soldiers, was freed to house arrest by Yemen.  In 2004 he was sentenced to death for his role in plotting and carrying out the attack on the USS Cole.  This sentence was later commuted to 15 years imprisonment.

Badawi was one of 23 prisoners that escaped from jail in 2006.  He voluntarily turned himself in two weeks ago.  A Yemeni government official said that Badawi remains “under close scrutiny and control of security forces.”

National Security Council spokesman Gordon Johndroe stated that “the United States is dismayed and deeply disappointed in the government of Yemen’s decision not to imprison Badawi.”  He claimed that Yemen’s action is inconsistent with the bilateral counterterrorism cooperation between the US and Yemen.

For more information, please see:

BBC – USS Cole plotter freed by Yemen – 27 October 2007

AHN – USS Cole bomb plotter in Yemen freed – 26 October 2007

Associated Press – US criticizes Yemen on terrorism – 26 October 2007

Reuters – Yemen grants house arrest to Cole attack planner – 26 October 2007