Spies for Israel face death in Yemen

An appeals court in Yemen has upheld a death sentence for a citizen convicted of spying for Israel.

On April 3 the court upheld the conviction of Bassam al-Haidari, who was sentenced to death in March 2009 after being accused of contact with an enemy state for sending an e-mail in 2008 to then–Prime Minister Ehud Olmert.

Al-Haidari’s e-mail read, “We are the Jihad Organization and you are Jews but you are honest and we are ready for anything,” the Yemen News Agency reported.

In response, according to the news agency, the Prime Minister’s Office said Israel was willing to “support you as agents.”

Two others were convicted in the case; all three defendants had pleaded not guilty. — jta