Yemen put four Shi'ite rebel supporters on trial on Monday on charges of spying for Iran in a move that could strain a truce to end a northern war that drew in neighbouring oil giant Saudi Arabia last year.

Prosecutors asked for the death penalty for the men, a prosecution official said. The four were accused of handing Shi'ite Iran photographs of security and military installations as well as ports and islands, the indictment said.

"During the period between 1994 and August 25th, 2009, they undertook to spy for a foreign state and hold illegal communications with those working for Iran's interests," the indictment said. The men were arrested in July and August.

"They received support and funding to carry out intellectual and political projects serving Iranian interests, and submitted to them reports on the political, economic and social situation in the country."

Yemen, under international pressure to end its northern conflict, sealed a truce with the rebels in February to end the long-running conflict that has raged on and off since 2004 and displaced 250,000 people. But implementation of all the required steps of the truce has been slow.

Yemen, strategically located next door to Saudi Arabia, jumped to the forefront of Western security concerns after al Qaeda's Yemen-based regional arm claimed responsibility for an attempted December attack on a US-bound plane.

Western countries and Saudi Arabia want Sanaa to calm the situation in the north to focus on fighting a resurgent al Qaeda, which the West fears is exploiting instability in Yemen to launch attacks in the region and beyond.

Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh declared the war definitively over last month.
Previous truces to end the northern war have not held and analysts are sceptical the latest ceasefire will last as it fails to address insurgent complaints of discrimination by the government.

Source: Reuters