[05/May/2008]

SANA'A, May 05 (Saba) - A Yemeni court released on Monday suspected French antiquities smuggler Yves Lebourgeois aged 58, on responsibility of the French consul in Sana'a to keep him under house arrest in the capital Sana'a.

In the first hearing, the court also ordered security services to investigate with a carrier which transported Lebourgeois along with 31 ancient artifacts from Shabwa province to Sana'a and bring the accused Anwr, an employee of Hawk company, who it was said he bought the ancient artifacts to Lebourgeois.

French Lebourgeois was caught last Thursday by Sana'a Airport security services as he was try to leave Yemen in possession of 31 ancient artifacts.

Lebourgeois works for a giant gas-exporting project run by the Yemen Liquefied Natural Gas Company in south-eastern Yemen.

YA