Al-Qaeda executes dentist in Yemen
Al-Qaeda in Yemen killed a dentist in Yemen on spying charges and then tied his body on a makeshift cross as the country slides deeper into lawlessness and chaos.
A dentist anywhere in the world specializes in treating mouth-related health issues. He or she can remove a molar, fix a tooth or make a filling. But in Yemen, a dentist can be detained and be accused of espionage. Then his execution and a public display of his body can happen in broad daylight.
On Aug. 15, al-Qaeda operatives in Yemen’s Bayda province killed Madhar al-Yousifi, a 40-year dentist, and tied his body to a makeshift cross. The militants alleged that Yousifi was spying on them so that they could be targeted by American drones.
Yousifi, originally from Yemen's Taiz province, spent over 10 years in the al-Sawma district of Bayda in his dental clinic.
Two months ago, he quarreled with his wife, leading to a divorce. This dispute reached al-Qaeda operatives at the request of the divorced wife’s family, the victim's brother said.
