Yemen said on Wednesday it would deport a French engineer involved in an alleged desecration of the Muslim holy book, the Koran, that sparked riots by workers at a giant gas-exporting project in last week. Hundreds of Yemeni workers, outraged by an alleged abuse of the Koran by a French engineer, destroyed facilities and houses of foreign experts at the project that was under construction at the Belhaf port in south-eastern Yemen on March 25. Outraged workers also set a helicopter on fire as it landed at the Arabian Sea port, some 580 kilometres from the capital Sana'a, after claims that a French engineer kicked and tore the Koran apart.
A statement issued by the Interior Ministry, however, said an ad hoc investigation commission had concluded that the 'claimed desecration or abuse of the Koran could not be substantiated.' It said that a dispute between the Frenchman, whose name was not given, and a Yemeni employee was behind the 'rumour' that spread among the Yemeni workers and set off violent protests and riot.
| Just a beef between management and Plumbers and Pipefitters Union Local 273. I'm sure if youse put da local imam's brother-in-law on the payroll, dis incident would go away. It works in Jersey. |