Al-Qirbi: Yemen will not extradite Awlaki to US

Yemeni Foreign Minister, Abu Bakr al-Qirbi, told the Kuwaiti Daily Al-Dar on Monday that Yemen would not extradite Anwar al-Awlaki to the U.S., if and when he is apprehended.

"Because of his recent terrorist activity, al-Awlaki is now wanted by the Yemeni government," al-Qirbi was quoted by the Yemen News Agency as saying. "Hence, he must be tried once he is captured and convicted in his homeland, but never by other governments."

"Yemen's position over handing the man to the U.S. is clear and firm because we refuse to hand our people to other countries," he affirmed.

Awlaki is an American-born US citizen who's been linked to recent terrorist attacks against the US, but, as al-Qirbi so eloquently explained, he is one of 'our people', hence, Yemeni officials can not, in good conscience, extradite him to the US, or any other infidel country, for that matter.

Last month, the AP quoted al-Qirbi as saying that Yemen would not seek Awlaki's arrest because Yemen did not consider him to be a 'terrorist':

Yemeni forces are not going after a radical U.S.-born cleric who has reportedly been added to the CIA's list of targets to be killed or captured, the foreign minister said.

Foreign Minister Abu Bakr al-Qirbi said that al-Awlaki is not a terrorist and is not on Yemen's own wanted list...

"Anwar al-Awlaki has to us been always looked at as a preacher rather than a terrorist and shouldn't be looked at as a terrorist unless the Americans have evidence that he has been involved in terrorism," al-Qirbi said.

At the time I noted as follows:

When you stop and think about it, al-Qirbi has a legitimate point! If Barack Obama considers Jeremiah Wright to be a genuine preacher, rather than a radical demagogue, then al-Qirbi, too, has every right to look upon Anwar al-Awlaki as an authentic and bona fide preacher, rather than the blood-thirsty terrorist that the infidels allege him to be.

Nevertheless, if Awlaki is eventually apprehended, I have full confidence that US officials will be granted permission to interrogate him for an hour or two - before the Yemenis decide to read him his Miranda rights.....

But who knows, maybe al-Qirbi is right. As the Obama administration is wont to say after a terrorist attack occurs: "We shouldn't jump to conclusions." Awlaki, after all, may be just a lone wolf, who has no ties to Al Qaeda. He may have psychological problems, or he may simply be under duress due to a failed marriage or as a result of the slumping Global economy. Serious problems of this nature, if not dealt with immediately, could lead even the most sanest of minds to perpetrate the most horrific atrocities. Which leads to me to believe that the Obama administration and al-Qirbi are right:

We really shouldn't jump to conclusions....

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