A Yemeni court Tuesday sentenced 10 Shiite Zaidi rebels to death and another five to 15 years in prison each over deadly clashes near the capital in 2008 that killed hundreds of people. The special court in Sana'a convicted the 15 for “associating with an armed group for criminal purposes,” “creating an organised terrorist group” and “(armed) resistance to the authorities.” All of the defendants were in court when the sentences were handed down. A defense said that an appeal had been lodged on behalf of two members of the group, but that the 13 others refused to appeal on the grounds that they did not recognize the court's legitimacy. Tuesday's convictions come as the country's armed forces continue Operation Scorched Earth, launched on August 11 in the mountainous north and aimed at eradicating the rebels, also known as Huthis. On Saturday the same court sentenced another two Shiite rebels to death for taking part in gun battles against security forces last year near the capital. Nine others received between eight and 12 years in jail. Govt ready for talks Yemen is ready to hold conditional dialogue with northern Shi'ite insurgents and will listen to grievances, but will not talk to rebels with separatist demands, Yemen's foreign minister said Tuesday. “There are conditions the government has laid out for dialogue with those carrying weapons in Saada. If they accept them, they can put their demands forward and they will be addressed,” Foreign Minister Abubakr al-Qirbi said in Cairo. “There will never be dialogue with those calling for separation,” he added, speaking after talks with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak.
