Report details 'horrific abuse' in Yemen

Militants loyal to Abu Hamza, the leader of Ansar al-Sharia, an Al-Qaeda affiliate group in Yemen, are pictured on January 21. New Amnesty International report came out Tuesday Ansar al-Sharia took control of the area "They committed horrific abuses," Amnesty says (CNN) -- Residents in parts of southern Yemen experienced a "human rights catastrophe" when an al-Qaeda affiliate took control of the country's Abyan province for 14 months, according to Amnesty International. In a new report entitled "Conflict in Yemen: Abyan's Darkest Hour", the rights group catalogs "a raft of gross and deeply disturbing" punishments carried out by Ansar al-Sharia, including crucifixions, public executions, amputations and floggings. "They committed horrific abuses," said Cilina Nasser, of Amnesty International. "They set up courts, their own courts and claimed to apply Islamic law." One man, accused of spying for the U.S., was killed and then had his remains crucified. A video obtained by the rights group shows the rotting body, which had been left out in the open for days -- a warning to anyone who might consider doing the same. Protesters riot at U.S. Embassy in Yemen Yemen: Al Qaeda No. 2 leader killed In another video, a prisoner, bound and blindfolded, is led to a public square. The man, convicted of spying on al-Qaeda for Saudi Arabia, is then readied for execution. For the U.S. and Yemen, who for years have been attempting to vanquish a resurgent and emboldened al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, the news couldn't have been more dire. "As the United States and as Saudi Arabia have been very, very concerned about al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula being able to sort of plot, plan and launch attacks from their hideouts in Yemen, the Saudis and Americans have worked together to create these undercover agents," Gregory Johnsen, a Yemen expert who has written a book on the nation. But the militants was not only going after alleged spies. According to Amnesty International, one woman was beheaded for the crime of sorcery. In an extremely disturbing video, her severed head can be seen as it is paraded through the streets. And one young man, accused of theft, had his hand publicly amputated. "They detained me in a room for five days," the young man later told the rights group. "They kept beating me hard ... After five days, they gave me an injection and I slept ...When I woke up my hand was not there." A chilling video shows him lying unconscious -- his left arm stretched out as one man begins cutting through the wrist. Once done, a spectator takes the severed hand and raises it for the gathered crowd to see. Cries of "God is great" can then be heard. "In 2011, the Yemeni military essentially split during the uprising that eventually overthrew the long serving president Ali Abdullah Saleh," explained Yemen expert Gregory Johnsen. "They were fighting amongst themselves and what this did is it opened up a lot of space for al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula and their affiliate Ansar al-Shaira to take over villages and towns in Southern Yemen, particularly in Abyan and in Shabwa." Between February 2011 and June 2012, after seizing those areas, they began imposing and practicing a very draconian interpretation of Islamic law. But in that time, they were also able to provide services a weak central government had not. "They established their own police system, their own court system," Johnsen said. "They started to dig water wells, string electrical lines in villages that had never had these before, that had essentially been ignored by the Yemeni government for decades." "On one hand," added Johnsen, "they were welcomed in the fact that they were able to impose law and security. But the longer they stayed, the more unpopular they became." According to Amnesty International, in the end, the people of Abyan weren't just subjected to repression by Ansar al-Sharia, they were also subjected to additional violations by the Yemeni government forces. "When the situation evolved into an armed conflict between Ansar al-Sharia and the Yemeni government," explained Nasser, "both sides committed violations of international humanitarian law." Amnesty's report states how Ansar al-Sharia used residential areas as its base, "recklessly exposing civilian residents to harm." The righs group also details how it says the Yemeni military's intense aerial bombardment as well as the use of inappropriate battlefield weapons in residential areas further endangered a population already in peril. "Scores of civilians, including children, were killed," reads the report, "and many more injured as a result of air strikes and artillery and mortar attacks by government forces." The "toxic mix of fighting and human rights abuses," it states, "meant an estimated 250,000 people from the southern governorates, particularly Abyan, were displaced." The Yemeni government said it is studying the Amnesty report. "The Yemeni government will carefully examine the findings," said Mohammed Albasha, the spokesman for the Yemeni Embassy in Washington. "Sanaa continues to welcome the international community's support of the government's efforts to promote and protect human rights." While Ansar al-Sharia was ultimately driven out and Yemen's government ended up claiming success, continued instability in the country, a haven for Al-Qaeda, has left many wondering how long will that victory may last.

2 charged in Coast Guard death

Coast Guard Chief Petty Officer Terrell Horne, stationed on the Cutter Halibut, climbs into the ship after conducting water survival training in this undated photograph. A Coast Guardsman dies after a panga boat rams his boat, authorities say The panga flees, but it is eventually intercepted and its 2 occupants detained The 2 Mexicans are charged with killing a U.S. officer and held without bond They told investigators they were transporting gas to another panga boat (CNN) -- Two Mexican nationals were charged Monday in the death of a U.S. Coast Guardsman, whose succumbed to a traumatic head injury after his boat was rammed off the Southern California coast. The suspects -- Jose Meija-Leyva and Manuel Beltran-Higuera -- are charged with killing a U.S. government officer while that officer was on duty in the death of Chief Petty Officer Terrell Horne III, the U.S. attorney's office for the central district of California said in a news release. Neither man was asked to enter a plea when they appeared Monday afternoon in federal court, where Magistrate Judge Victor Kenton ordered them held without bond, U.S. attorney's office spokesman Thom Mrozek said. A preliminary hearing is set for December 17, and their arraignment is set for December 21. Calls placed Monday evening to the separate attorneys representing the two suspects were not immediately returned. Early Sunday morning, the crew of a Coast Guard patrol aircraft spotted a panga boat near Santa Cruz Island, suspecting "it was engaged in illegal activity," said Capt. James Jenkins. A panga is an engine-powered work boat often used off the coast of Mexico or Central America and is typically 25 feet to 45 feet long, Jenkins said. The aircraft's crew alerted the captain of the Cutter Halibut, an 87-foot patrol boat, which headed to the scene and noticed the panga "operating with no lights." A small boat was dispatched from the Halibut, and it headed closer to the suspect vessel. Then, the panga accelerated and slammed into the small boat, forcing Horne and another Coast Guard member overboard. Two Coast Guard colleagues on the same small boat recovered their shipmates, and all four boarded the Halibut as it headed to the nearest port. Having suffered a traumatic head injury, Horne was pronounced dead by emergency medical personnel upon his arrival on shore at Port Hueneme. The other Coast Guardsman tossed overboard was treated at a hospital for "relatively minor injuries" and released later Sunday morning, Jenkins said. The panga boat fled. Around 5 a.m. Sunday, about four hours after the initial crash, the panga was located about 20 miles north of the U.S.-Mexico border, according to the criminal complaint. Coast Guard officers pulled up and ordered the boat's occupants, at gunpoint, to exit the boat. They refused to comply, and the panga raced away. It then stalled, refused further orders, and sped away again, the complaint said. In the third try, a Coast Guard officer pepper-sprayed both men on the panga. That boat's driver was detained after a struggle with Coast Guard officers, while his passenger was "detained without incident," the criminal complaint said. The suspects had entered the United States "illegally from Mexico," according to the document. Meija-Leyva told investigators "he was taking gasoline to some lost friends north of Los Angeles," and Beltran-Higuera said he'd been offered $3,000 to transport gas to a waiting panga boat off the U.S. coast. As for what happened early Sunday, Beltran-Higuera said he heard people yelling "Stop! Put your hands up!" then "a series of gunshots before the Coast Guard vessel collided with the panga," the criminal complaint stated. The same day the two suspects were in court, colleagues of Horne remembered him as a devoted Coast Guardsman and beloved friend. The Redondo Beach, California, resident, 34, was second-in-command on the Cutter Halibut. "Words cannot express (the) admiration that I have for him," said the ship's commander Lt. Stewart Siebert, as he fought back tears. "He was my friend, he was my confidant, he was the glue that held my crew together." CNN's Greg Botelho contributed to this report.

Alaska suspect tied to other killings

Authorities say Israel Keyes killed himself while in custody. Israel Keyes committed suicide while in custody on murder charges, officials say He was charged in the death of 18-year-old Samantha Koenig, an Alaskan barista He is said to have confessed to multiple murders and did not know any of his victims (CNN) -- A suspected serial killer has killed for the last time. Authorities say Israel Keyes, who was arrested and charged in the killing of an Alaskan barista, killed himself while in custody. Before committing suicide on Sunday, Keyes confessed to at least seven other slayings, according to the FBI field office in Anchorage, Alaska, which on Monday asked for the public's help with tracing Keyes' travels over the years in the hopes of identifying any additional victims. He crisscrossed the country, and authorities may never know how many he killed. "Based upon investigation conducted following his arrest in March 2012, Israel Keyes is believed to have committed multiple kidnappings and murders across the country between 2001 and March 2012," the office said in a statement. "Keyes described significant planning and preparation for his murders, reflecting a meticulous and organized approach to his crimes." Investigators are continuing to investigate those crimes, though they say Keyes confessed to killing at least seven other people besides the barista: two in Vermont, four in Washington state, and one somewhere on the East Coast, disposing of the body in New York. Keyes did not know any of his victims, the FBI said, but looked for them at remote locations like parks, campgrounds and cemeteries. He is said to have buried supplies he planned to use in future crimes, and investigators recovered two caches, one in Eagle River, Alaska, and one near Blake Falls Reservoir in New York. They contained weapons and items used to dispose of bodies, the FBI said. Keyes allegedly confessed to killing Bill and Lorraine Currier of Essex Junction, Vermont. He flew into Chicago, rented a car and drove across several states before arriving there, the FBI said. He is then thought to have traveled around the East Coast before returning to Chicago and then Alaska, where he had lived since 2007. Prior to that, he lived in Washington state, where he confessed to killing four people, the FBI said. He is likewise alleged to have admitted to killing another person, somewhere on the East Coast, in 2009. The identities of those five victims were not released. Finally, Keyes was accused and charged in the death of 18-year-old Samantha Koenig, the Alaskan barista. She was last seen on February 1 being led away by a man from the parking lot of the coffee stand where she worked. Her body was found in a lake north of Anchorage. If he had been convicted in her death, Keyes could have faced the death penalty.

Court removes judge from Fort Hood shooting trial

Reuters The issue of whether Maj. Nidal Hasan, charged with 13 counts of murder, should shave his beard resulted in a judge's removal. By Isolde Raftery, NBC News The highest military appellate court ordered on Monday the removal of the judge overseeing the trial of Nidal Hasan, an Army psychiatrist charged with killing 13 people at the Fort Hood Army base in 2009. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces wrote in an opinion that Col. Gregory Gross should be removed for the appearance of bias -- in part because he demanded that Hasan's beard be shaved. "The command, and not the military judge, has the primary responsibility for the enforcement of grooming standards," the court wrote in a 10-page opinion. "A military judge's contempt authority is directed toward control of the courtroom. Although the military judge here stated that (Hasan's) beard was a 'disruption,' there was insufficient evidence on this record to demonstration that (his) beard materially interfered with the proceedings." Further, the opinion stated, the judge and his family were present at Fort Hood on the day of the shootings. "While this fact alone is not disqualifying, when viewed in light of the factors identified above, an objective observer might reasonably question the military judge's impartiality," the opinion read. Related: Court rules Fort Hood shooting suspect Nidal Hasan must shave beard   Army grooming standards prohibit beards but allow for religious exceptions. Judge Gross had denied Hasan's request for such an exception. He found that Hasan's claims of religious sincerity did not outweigh prosecutor's arguments that Hasan grew the beard just before his August trial date so witnesses wouldn't be able to identify him in court. Hasan, 42, faces the death penalty or life in prison without parole if convicted in the Nov. 5, 2009, attack at the Army post about 130 miles southwest of Dallas. In addition to those killed, 29 were wounded. His trial had been placed on hold pending the issue of whether he must shave his beard.   His lawyers argued that he wears a beard because of he is devoutly Muslim and that requiring him to shave it would amount to religious discrimination. Monday's court opinion does not resolve the issue of his beard, however: "Should the next military judge find it necessary to address (his) beard, such issues should be addressed and litigated anew." A new judge has not been assigned to the case. The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report. More content from NBCNews.com: Florida guide uses hunting as rustic therapy for combat veterans Police: Kansas City Chiefs linebacker kills girlfriend, then himself Cuba pushes swap: its spies jailed in US for American contractor held in Havana Passengers killed when tour bus hits Miami airport overpass Women warriors pass elite Army training course Follow US news from NBCNews.com on Twitter and Facebook

Lenny Dykstra sentenced in fraud case

Lenny Dykstra led the New York Mets to a World Series championship in 1986. Former Mets star amassed fortune playing baseball and investing in stocks He had faced up to 20 years but pleaded guilty to three felonies Dykstra admitted he had sold items from his mansion after creditors seized property He was already in prison, serving a three-year sentence for another crime (CNN) -- Lenny Dykstra, the former New York Mets outfielder who became a successful self-taught investor, was sentenced Monday to 6 1/2 months in federal custody following bankruptcy fraud and other federal charges, authorities announced Monday. Dykstra, 49, faced 20 years in prison but prosecutors recommended 2 1/2 years following his guilty plea to three felony counts -- bankruptcy fraud, concealment of assets and money laundering, according to U.S. Attorney spokesman Thom Mrozek. Dykstra is already serving a three-year state prison sentence after pleading no contest in July to grand theft auto in a separate case. The federal indictment stemmed from a bankruptcy case that Dykstra filed on July 7, 2009. Dykstra was accused of removing, destroying and selling property that was part of the bankruptcy estate without the permission of the bankruptcy trustee. In the bankruptcy filing, Dykstra had listed assets of $24.6 million and overall debts of $37.1 million. Among the assets listed were two residences: a Ventura County mansion in Lake Sherwood Estates he had purchased from hockey legend Wayne Gretzky valued at $18.5 million, and a home in Westlake Village that he estimated was worth $5.4 million. During his financial turmoil, Dykstra's personal property became part of the bankruptcy estate that would be used to pay off creditors. In his guilty plea in July, Dykstra specifically admitted he committed bankruptcy fraud by lying about whether he had taken and sold items from his $18 million Sherwood mansion after creditors seized the property. Dykstra also admitted that there were at least 10 creditors who were victims of his crimes, and those victims each lost between $200,000 and $400,000. Dykstra, who was nicknamed "Nails" for his all-out playing style, was a key member of the New York Mets team that won the 1986 World Series. By the time he retired after 12 seasons, he had earned at least $36.5 million while a major leaguer, according to Baseball-Reference.com. As a self-taught financial analyst, Dykstra proclaimed himself a financial guru and began writing a stock-picking website column. His prominence soared as a sports celebrity, entrepreneur and popular guest on numerous financial news broadcasts. In 2008, Dykstra began publishing the Players Club, a glossy financial advice magazine exclusively for pro athletes to help them with wealth management and investment banking. But Dykstra seemed to lose control of his extravagant jet-setting lifestyle during the housing bust. When Dykstra filed for bankruptcy in 2009, his only income was a $5,700 monthly pension from Major League Baseball, records show. As part of the federal sentence, U.S. District Judge Dean Pregerson ordered Dykstra to perform 500 hours of community service and pay $200,000 in restitution. He also was sentenced earlier this year to nine months in jail after pleading no contest to charged of indecent exposure to women he met through Craigslist.

Mexican nationals charged in US Coast Guardsman's death

AP Photo/U.S. Coast Guard/ Lt. Stewart Sibert This undated photo provided by the U.S. Coast Guard shows Chief Petty Officer Terrell Horne III, stationed on the Cutter Halibut. Horne died early Sunday from injuries sustained during law enforcement operations near Santa Cruz Island, Calif. By NBC News staff and wire services Federal prosecutors on Monday charged two Mexican nationals in the killing of a Coast Guardsman who died during a counter-drug operation off the California coast. Chief Petty Officer Terrell Horne III was killed Sunday when he was thrown off a Coast Guard cutter after a suspicious vessel rammed into it, according to a news release from the U.S. Attorney's office in Los Angeles. Horne died from a traumatic head injury. Another guardsman was treated for minor injuries. The suspects, Jose Meija-Leyva and Manuel Beltran-Higuera, were both expected to make initial court appearances in Los Angeles Monday, according to the U.S. Attorney's office. Meija-Leyva told investigators that he was the captain of the "panga" boat, the release said. A panga is an open, low-sided fishing boat that is favored by Mexican smugglers, according to The Associated Press. Early Sunday, the Cutter Halibut approached the suspicious boat, and personnel identified themselves as law enforcement, the U.S. Attorney's office said. After a confrontation that resulted in the panga's ramming the Coast Guard boat, Horne and another guardsman were thrown into the water. The panga boat fled the scene, according to authorities, but was intercepted by a Coast Guard vessel about 20 miles north of the U.S.-Mexico border. At that time, suspects Meija-Leyva and Beltran-Higuera were detained, the U.S. Attorney's office said. Watch US News crime videos on NBCNews.com  Horne, 34, was a 14-year veteran of the Coast Guard. "Our fallen shipmate stood the watch on the front lines protecting our nation, and we are all indebted to him for his service and sacrifice," Coast Guard commandant Admiral Robert J. Papp told the AP. The Los Angeles Border Enforcement Security Task Force in San Pedro, Calif. is investigating. The number of suspected smuggling vessels spotted on California shores by U.S. authorities has more than quadrupled since 2008, according to the AP. The Associated Press contributed to this report. More content from NBCNews.com: Florida guide uses hunting as rustic therapy for combat veterans Police: Kansas City Chiefs linebacker kills girlfriend, then himself Cuba pushes swap: its spies jailed in US for American contractor held in Havana Passengers killed when tour bus hits Miami airport overpass Women warriors pass elite Army training course Teacher lured boys online to get nude pics, cops say 66 species of coral proposed for protection by US Follow US news from NBCNews.com on Twitter and Facebook

Teen players kill soccer official

A file photo of a linesman raising his flag during a soccer match. A 41-year-man dies in hospital following attack after a soccer match Assistant referee Richard Nieuwenhuizen was beaten up by three teen players He had been officiating during an amateur game involving his club Buitenboys The trio were arrested at their Amsterdam home on Sunday, according to reports (CNN) -- A volunteer Dutch soccer official died on Monday after being beaten up by teenage players following a match the previous day. Richard Nieuwenhuizen was pronounced dead at 5.30 p.m. local time in the hospital of Nieuwegein, according to his club Buitenboys. The 41-year-old had been a linesman in an amateur game between Buitenboys and Amsterdam-based Nieuwe Sloten in the city of Almere. He was attacked after the match by three Nieuwe Sloten players, who were arrested at their homes in Amsterdam on Sunday according to the Dutch News website. "The KNVB is deeply shocked ... After intervention of the police and the arrival of an ambulance, he was in critical condition and transported to a hospital. There he died Monday afternoon," reported the website of the Royal Dutch Football Association (KNVB). Its director of amateur football, Anton Binnenmars, added: "Let me, on behalf of the entire KNVB and all its members, offer my sympathy to the families and friends of the victim. It is outrageous that someone enjoying a hobby can be victim of such aggression." Nieuwe Sloten issued a statement on its website saying the club would help with the police investigation, and that anyone involved in the attack would be expelled. "Violence should not be on the football fields. And certainly not against referees, linesmen and all those others who volunteer each year to over a million amateur footballers. We must do everything possible to eliminate these excesses," it said.