By Steve Huffman
shuffman@salisburypost.com
The parents of a Navy sailor who died in an attack on the USS Cole in 2000 said they’re happy that President Obama agreed to meet Friday with survivors.
But Sandra Francis and her husband, Ronald, said they weren’t made aware of the meeting early enough for them to travel to Washington, D.C., for the event.
Their daughter, Lakeina Francis, was 19 when she died in the terrorist attack in Yemen.
The family lives in Woodleaf. Lakeina was a graduate of West Rowan High School.
“We’re honored, truly honored,” Sandra said of the fact that Obama was meeting with families of Cole survivors. “We tried for eight years to meet with Bush.”
Seventeen sailors died in the attack on the Cole.
But Ronald Francis said he was disappointed with the senior judge’s decision earlier this week to drop charges against an al-Qaida suspect in the Cole bombing.
The charges against suspected al-Qaida bomber Abd al-Rahim al-Nashiri marked the last active Guantanamo Bay war crime case.
“Where’s it going to end?” Ronald asked. “These guys are getting a free ride. Are we going to get justice or not?”
Read more about this case in Saturday’s Post.