Yemen Observer: http://www.yobserver.com
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Written By: Fares Anam
Article Date: May 20, 2008 - 1:14:34 AM
Yemen officials found a stolen Yemeni statue in auction in London, and the government appointed the Culture Ministry with the Ambassador of Yemen to London, Mohamed Taha Mustafa to follow up the case and return the stolen statue to home, a source at the archeology prosecution told Yemen Observer.
“Sources in London reported that they found the stolen state in one of London’s auctions,” said the source. “The statue was smuggled to Dubai then to London to show in the auction. The case is now in the court that investigating and questioning some suspects.”
The thieved statue made of bronze pictured women in the form of dancing and based on a rectangular base containing Musnad handwriting. “The statue smuggled from al-Jawf province by the smuggler Saleh Jaber Maqre who is a fugitive from the court,” the source said.
The source said that antiquities trade bought this statue from the smuggler for YR 15 million and the court now investigates how the statue was smuggled to Dubai then London.
The General Authority for Antiquities and Museums issued a circular and handed over to international organizations and Interpol on Yemeni statues which were stolen and probably smuggled by land to the United Arab Emirates.
The Organization explained in its circulation the descriptions of the statue shown in the picture, and registered with the number 619.
The GOAM requested the Interpol and international organizations assist in tracking down the statue and the prohibition of its sale in auctions, and confiscated wherever it found. The GOAM also informed all citizens at home and outside the country to reporting in the case of discover the statue to assist in its seizure.
