Yemen, Sept 04: Yemen’s Nobel Peace laureate and activist Tawakkol Karman has said that the latest UN panel report on war crimes in Yemen constitutes a legal basis to prosecute Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed before the International Criminal Court (ICC).

Last week a UN mandated expert panel issued a report which said that members of the Yemeni government, Arab coalition forces particularly Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, and Houthi militants have “committed acts amounting to war crimes” in Yemen.

On Saturday the Saudi-led Arab coalition accepted responsibility for last month’s deadly air strike on a school bus that killed 40 children in the governorate of Saada, north of Sanaa.

Speaking to Al Jazeera Karman said the report has revealed a series of “horrific and unprecedented violations,” adding that the report “reflects only a small fraction of what the Houthis or the Arab coalition have done in Yemen”.

“Although the report is too small compared reality, it contained different types of crimes and named senior perpetrators,” she said.

Karman has denounced the continued sale of arms to Saudi Arabia and the UAE despite reports which revealed that these weapons are used to kill Yemenis, stressing that those who sell arms to these countries contribute directly and indirectly to the killing of the Yemeni people.

“The Yemeni people reject the coup led by Houthis and Ali Abdullah Saleh in Yemen and also reject the treacherous coalition that came to occupy Yemen and steal its wealth led by Saudi Arabia and the UAE which did not come to the country to support legitimacy” Karman said.

Courtesy: www.middleeastmonitor.com

Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.



London, Nov 22: A bomb disposal squad deployed as a “precaution” to the South Terminal of Gatwick Airport concluded an investigation into a "security incident" on Friday after making a “suspect package” safe.

The South Terminal of Gatwick Airport, the UK's second busiest airport after Heathrow, which was briefly shut owing to the incident reopened following the incident.

The Gatwick is around 45 km south of London.

Two people detained during the enquiries have since been allowed to continue their journey as the airport was opened.

“Police have concluded their investigation into a report of a suspect package at Gatwick Airport. Officers from the EOD (Explosive Ordnance Disposal) team made the package safe, and the airport has been handed back to its operator,” Sussex Police said in an updated statement.

“Two people detained while enquiries were ongoing have subsequently been allowed to continue their journeys. There will remain an increased police presence in the area to assist with passengers accessing the South Terminal for onward travel,” the statement added.

Earlier on Friday, the incident caused severe disruption at the busy airport’s South Terminal, while the North Terminal of Gatwick Airport remained unaffected.

“Police were called to the South Terminal at Gatwick Airport at 8.20 am on Friday (November 22) following the discovery of a suspected prohibited item in luggage,” a Sussex Police statement said.

“To ensure the safety of the public, staff and other airport users, a security cordon has been put in place whilst the matter is dealt with. As a precaution, an EOD (Explosive Ordnance Disposal) team is being deployed to the airport. This is causing significant disruption and some roads around the South Terminal have been closed. We’d advise the public to avoid the area where possible,” it said.

Footage on social media taken outside the airport showed crowds of frustrated travellers being moved away from the terminal building.

Gatwick said it was working hard to resolve the issue.

“A large part of the South Terminal has been evacuated as a precaution while we continue to investigate a security incident," the airport said in a social media post.

“Passengers will not be able to enter the South Terminal while this is ongoing. The safety and security of our passengers and staff remain our top priority. We are working hard to resolve the issue as quickly as possible.”

Train and bus services that serve the airport were also impacted while the police carried out their inquiries.

In an unrelated incident in south London on Friday morning, the US Embassy area in Nine Elms by the River Thames was the scene of a controlled explosion by Scotland Yard dealing with what they believe may have been a “hoax device”.

“We can confirm the 'loud bang' reported in the area a short time ago was a controlled explosion carried out by officers,” the Metropolitan Police said in a post on X.

“Initial indications are that the item was a hoax device. An investigation will now follow. Some cordons will remain in place for the time being but the majority of the police response will now be stood down,” it added.