Yemeni Wants Detainees Dealt With

SANA, Yemen —  A member of Yemen’s parliament accused the government Sunday of illegally holding 104 people on suspicion of links to terrorism and called for their immediate trial or release.

Sultan Atwani, a member of a parliamentary panel looking into alleged human rights violations by security forces in the crackdown on supporters of Osama bin Laden, said a security official reported that the suspects’ continued detention was because of U.S. pressure.

“The commission urged security officials to send the detainees for trial or release them,” he said.

Of the 104 detainees, Atwani said, 15 were arrested in the bombing of the U.S. destroyer Cole in the Yemeni port of Aden in 2000, which killed 17 U.S. sailors.

Amnesty International said in July that Yemen had violated human rights during its anti-terrorism campaign. It said thousands had been detained, including children, academics and journalists.