| Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh yesterday asked leading opposition figures, along with government officials, to participate in a fresh mediation effort with Hussein Badruddin Al-Houthi, a radical cleric accused of leading an armed rebellion in the north of the country. Leaders of five main opposition parties, two Cabinet ministers, eight legislators, five prominent religious scholars and eight tribal chieftains would join a mediation team led by Al-Houthi's father. They will try to secure the surrender of the Shiite cleric whose armed followers have been battling since June 21 government forces surrounding their hideouts in the Maran district of the mountainous northern province of Saada. The reinforced mediation team was due to travel to Maran yesterday, a government official told Arab News. Al-Houthi is accused by authorities of leading an armed rebellion and inciting violence through organizing protests against the United States and Israel. |