Retrial set for al-Moayad and Zayed

WASHINGTON, May 18 (Saba) - Sheikh Mohammed Hassan al-Moayad and his personal
assistant Mohammed Zayed will appear in a US court in June, their lawyer has said.

lawyer Robert Boyle said the US had decided to retry the two Yemeni nationals, in a
move which comes after terrorism convictions were overturned for the two in October
2008.

They will stand trial again in a New York court after they were transferred from
Colorado two weeks ago.

According to sources familiar with the matter, the Yemeni cleric and his personal
assistant will stand trial on the previous charges which were reversed when a US
court found out they did not receive a fair trial.

The decision was hailed as legal and correct when certain pieces of evidence
presented by prosecutors were found as prejudicial.

A new jury would be formed to confirm terrorism charges against the two or clear
them, added.

Meanwhile, the US authorities have put the two Yemeni nationals in separate jails
after they spent more than six years together in a Colorado prison where they were
taken after their arrest in 2003.

Earlier, the US Court of Appeals in New York turned down an official appeal against
the October 2008 verdict in favor of the two Yemeni citizens.

Sheik Mohammed Ali al-Moayad and Mohammed Mohsen Zayed, were sentenced in 2005 to 75
and 45 years in prison, respectively, after being convicted of providing material
support and resources to foreign terrorist organizations.

Zayed and al-Moayad were arrested in 2003 in Germany and extradited to the United
States.

Recently, Al-Moayad's heath deteriorated while in prison and he underwent surgeries
as he suffered liver illnesses.

The Yemeni government many times appealed the US to provide medical services for
Al-Moayad who in his 60s.