Earlier, Yemeni authorities claimed al-Awlaki was “just a preacher.” Then, they said they were working on detaining him, but only waiting for U.S. to supply the necessary intelligence.
Now, whatever they do, if and when they feel like getting around to capturing him, he’ll supposedly face trial in Yemen. That does not inspire confidence, given Yemen’s track record for letting jihadists walk, and for the series of mixed signals on al-Awlaki prior to this announcement.
Friend-and-Ally, or, Yemen the Jihadist “Bus Station” Update. “Yemen refuses to let U.S. try cleric,” by Eli Lake for the Washington Times, May 12:
Yemen’s government has announced it will not extradite Anwar al-Awlaki, the U.S.-born jihadist cleric who is credited with inspiring the recent wave of anti-American terrorist plots by al Qaeda recruits.
Over the weekend, Yemeni Foreign Minister Abu Bakr al Qirbi said Mr. al-Awlaki would be tried in the Arabian Peninsula state once he is captured.
“The man the U.S. wants to be extradited will stand trial in Yemen under the national law,” Mr. al Qirbi was quoted as saying in the Yemen state news agency, al Saba.
Earlier in the weekend, Mr. al Qirbi told the Kuwaiti newspaper al-Dar that “because of his recent terrorist activity, al-Awlaki is now wanted by the Yemeni government. Hence, he must be tried … in his homeland, but never by other governments.”…
There are also apparently constitutional issues, as described later in the article, but it is curious that al-Qirbi does not cite them.