▁of ▁East ▁African ▁Affairs . ▁Bod ine ▁is ▁also ▁an ▁Ad vis ory ▁Board ▁Member ▁of ▁Spirit ▁of ▁America , ▁a ▁ 5 0 1 ( c )( 3 ) ▁organization ▁that ▁supports ▁the ▁safety ▁and ▁success ▁of ▁Americans ▁serving ▁abroad ▁and ▁the ▁local ▁people ▁and ▁partners ▁they ▁seek ▁to ▁help . ▁ ▁Amb assador ▁to ▁Y emen ▁and ▁USS ▁Cole ▁bomb ing ▁On ▁November ▁ 7 , ▁ 1 9 9 7 , ▁Bod ine ▁was ▁appointed ▁to ▁be ▁Amb assador ▁to ▁the ▁Republic ▁of ▁Y emen . ▁Bod ine ' s ▁appointment ▁in ▁S ana ' a ▁coinc ided ▁with ▁events ▁of ▁major ▁importance ▁in ▁Y emen : ▁In ▁ 1 9 9 9 , ▁Bod ine ▁negoti ated ▁the ▁release ▁of ▁three ▁Americans ▁kid n apped ▁in ▁Y emen . ▁On ▁October ▁ 1 2 , ▁ 2 0 0 0 , ▁the ▁US ▁Navy ▁Dest roy er ▁USS ▁Cole ▁was ▁bom bed ▁in ▁a ▁terror ist ▁attack ▁in ▁the ▁G ulf ▁of ▁A den . ▁In ▁January ▁ 2 0 0 1 , ▁en ▁route ▁to ▁the ▁Y em eni ▁city ▁of ▁Ta iz ▁to ▁meet ▁with ▁the ▁country ' s ▁president , ▁a ▁flight ▁carrying ▁Bod ine ▁and ▁ 9 0 ▁other ▁passengers ▁from ▁Y emen ▁was ▁hij ack ed ▁by ▁an ▁Ira qi ▁mid - fl ight . ▁The ▁plane ▁was ▁di vert ed ▁to ▁the ▁small ▁African ▁nation ▁of ▁Dj ib out i , ▁where ▁it ▁land ed ▁with ▁the ▁hij acker ▁being ▁over power ed