Yemen's police were quoted as saying on Thursday October 18 that they had found no signs of any involvement of the country's honey dealers in funding terrorism, as alleged by the United States.
"We have found no proof of any link between the honey dealers in Yemen named on the list (published by Washington on Friday) and the Al-Qaeda movement of Osama Bin Laden or any other terrorist organization", a police spokesman said.
Quoted by the defense ministry weekly September 26, the spokesman said that for lack of evidence no measures had been taken against the suspects, but investigations were continuing.
The New York Times, quoting US officials, said Thursday that Bin Laden has been operating a honey distribution network in the Middle East and Pakistan, which serves as a cover for arms and drug dealing. Honey traders figuring on a list of 39 people and organizations Washington suspects of links with terrorism also denied the charges.
A Yemeni official said Sunday that authorities had frozen assets of individuals and organizations suspected of links with terrorism in the wake of the September 11 attacks in the United States. — (AFP, Sanaa)
© Agence France Presse 2001
© 2001 Mena Report (www.menareport.com)
