almotamar-net - A state-security court began Wednesday the trial of six tribesmen charged with taking five Italian tourists hostage in northeastern Yemen early in January.


The six men, Ali Saleh Ubad al-Zaidi, 24, Muryee Ali Ahmad al- Ameri,35, Ubad Saleh al-Zaidi, 21, Naji Mahdi al-Zaidi, 20, Hadi Muhammad Ali al-Ameri,24, and Muhammad Saleh al-Zaidi, 30, appeared in court in handcuffs and blue prison uniforms.

Chief Prosecutor Saeed al-Aaqil read out the charges list saying that the six men �took part in forming an armed gang to kidnap foreigners.�

The defendants confessed to the kidnapping but pleaded not guilty on the charge of forming an armed gang.

The tribesmen freed the five Italian captives, three women and two men, on January 6 after holding them hostage for five days in a mountainous village in the Marib province, about 195 kilometres northeast of the capital Sana�a.

Under a deal brokered by tribal dignitaries, the abductors released their hostages unharmed and gave themselves up to security forces besieging their hideout.