Armies of Liberation

This is a good article from al-Hayat except that it lumps together the terrorist attacks on tourists in Egypt and Saudi Arabia with the recent tourist kidnappings in Yemen, which were wholely unrelated to terrorism and were, for the most part, a bid to force the regime to release official hostages, in one case a 12 year old.

The Medina Incident, A New Kind of Terror
Daoud Shirian Al-Hayat – 28/02/07//

Last Sunday, a number of European expatriates (17 Belgians and 9 French) among which were women and children, were on a touristic trip to the Madain Saleh north of the holy city of Medina, an area attracting tourists from Saudi Arabia and abroad.

This particular expedition, however, was reminiscent of similar incidents involving foreign tourists that took place in Yemen and Egypt since the French convoy was surrounded and attacked by masked gunmen, killing two and seriously injuring two others who quickly succumbed to their wounds and died in the hospital.

The heinous attack broke the silence of terrorism in Saudi Arabia that had been stopped since Last August, and was unexpected in both location and method of execution. The attack was executed in a desert area and targeted. It was carried out with conventional weapons, making it appear as though its perpetrators wanted to send a message that terrorism will target the tourists in the coming stage, and confirms the fact that a number of hardliners are principally opposed to foreign tourism in Saudi Arabia and beyond. Moreover, the attack could disrupt efforts to promote domestic tourism among foreigners and intimidate the western expatriate society in Saudi Arabia and restrict movement of its members and their visits to areas beyond the city limits.

It would not be wise to attempt to discuss the possible affiliation of the perpetrators of this terrorist act before security authorities work out the details of what exactly happened, since rushing to conclusions could stand in the way of the correct interpretation of the attack.

While it is true that al-Qaeda have carried out operations against tourists in a number of Arab countries, the Mesada incident was the first of its kind in Saudi Arabia and was executed in a way that indicates a lack of organizational abilities, as could be seen from the fact that there were no plans for the tourists convoy to remain in the scene of the attack at the end of the trip. It had split into two groups on the way back, with one heading along the Qasim area highway, while the other took the Medina road to perform the ‘lesser pilgrimage’, Umrah.

Therefore, the incident deserves a fresh look at the re-emergence of terrorism in Saudi Arabia, since it carries with it new indications and points to a need that our religious discourse be reviewed with respect to terrorism, its legitimacy and our relationship with foreign expatriates residing in our country, since it is quite possible that the perpetrators of this criminal act were victims of a religious edict permitting the killing of tourists rather than being connected to a terrorist organization.

Surely, calls by the mufti of Saudi Arabia, Sheikh Abul Aziz Al Sheikh, to Saudi citizens to condemn the attack constituted a significant and timely action. The mufti’s call, however, should have also included religious clerics and preachers, and should have acknowledged the fact that those involved in Islamic and ‘da’wa’ work in confronting the emergence of terrorism are still unsatisfactory.

Many observers believe that writers, intellectuals and the public are the most outspoken opponents of terrorism, while the voices of preachers and religious students, mosque preachers and religious councilors remain muffled, and sometimes, even nonexistent, despite their importance and influences.

Terrorism has been cloaking itself behind religion and using religion as a pretext to kill innocent people. Therefore, confronting this phenomenon should start at the mosques and their platforms. Otherwise, the intellectual battle with terrorism will never meet its objectives, so long as those involved in religious work perceive terrorism as a political issue with which they have little relation.

1) the 45 Jews are in a hotel, these 400 villagers are sleeping in a field
2) the UN, as bad as it is, at least gives some status to Somali refugees in Yemen
3) these internally displaced persons have no official status as Ibb officials are blocking the investigation
4) thousands of refugees in Saada who fled their homes to avoid the violence are also internal refugees

from al-Shawa: The executive director of HOOD Organization, Khalid al-Ansi threatened to raise the case of al-Jaashin displaced people to UN.

“As a result of authorities’ absence toward al-Jaashin displaced case, we will resort to all legal means guaranteed by the constitution and international conventions approved by the Yemeni government” added al-Ansi .

“We may be enforced to complain to UN” He said in a statement to Alsahwa

He warned of pushing the displaced people to demand the UNHCR political asylum.

Al-Anisi considered al-Jaashin events as evidence that the country powers are very weak.

He also expressed sorrow of parliament committee’s failure formed to investigate the case. For his part, the parliamentarian, Sakhr al-Wajeh affirmed that the reasons behind the failure of the committee are that the local authorities of Ibb governorate rejected cooperation with the committee as well as other reasons .

Meanwhile the parliament witnessed yesterday talk tensions between some parliament’s members and the head of the committee ,Sheikh Mohammad al-Shaif as he attacked some parliamentarians.

They will get up to USD 76,000 as compensation for being in detention unfairly.

from NZZ Online: A court in southern Switzerland has cleared seven defendants of links to al:Qaeda, in the first trial of its kind in the country.

The citizens of Yemen, Somalia and Iraq had been accused of belonging to and supporting a criminal organisation. But experts had pointed out the lack of firm evidence in the case.

The prosecution had demanded prison sentences of up to four:and:a:half years. The seven were alleged to have belonged to a criminal organisation run by the principal defendant. Two were further accused of maintaining contacts with al:Qaeda.

But in its ruling on Wednesday, the federal criminal court rejected the prosecution’s case, even though the main defendant admitted having contact with al:Qaeda member, Abdullah el Rimi.

But he was found not guilty of the charge of offering to procure a passport for el Rimi, who was involved in the attacks on the American naval destroyer, USS Cole, in 2000 and in Saudi Arabia’s capital Riyadh in 2003.

The group was also accused of smuggling several dozen Yemenis into Switzerland between 1998 and 2004.

The defendants will receive up to SFr93,000 ($76,000) to compensate for time they spent in investigative custody.

Experts on terrorism were not surprised by the verdict.

Vague concept
“The concept of al:Queda still remains very vague. It is difficult to define the contours of the threat, therefore knowing what one should be looking for. Therefore, the verdict reflects the uncertainty surrounding the threat.” Swiss specialist, Jacques Baud, told swissinfo.

Lawyers had criticised the lack of evidence, which largely consisted of SMS messages and telephone calls.

“Without a precise definition of al:Queda and its network people are often suspicious of what are quite often innocent activities,” Baud added.

However, the court did find six of the seven guilty of violating the law on foreign residents, and handed down conditional sentences of up to 11 months.

The trial, which opened last month in Lugano, was the first of its kind for the federal prosecutor. It is estimated to have cost SFr1 million ($820,000) to stage.

The defendants were arrested in January 2004.

HOOD is bring a lawsuit for the illegal detention of a person for six years. Maybe if the Yemeni regime had to pay compensation for improper detention, the way Sweden does, there’d be less of an issue regarding hostages, children in prison, people in prison after their term ends, people in prison and never charged, ect:

from hoodonline:
The First Civil Division in the Capital Appeal Court commissioned yesterday the President of the Republic to attend the Saturday Session March 5th, 2007 to respond to the presented appeal by Allawo Corp. for Advocacy and Legal Consultancies representing Ahmed Bin Muailly who is in the Central Prison for more than six years.

Allawo filed a case before the southwest Capital Court of civil compensation for the period of illegal detention of Muailly. However, the Primary Court decided not to accept the petition. It is scheduled that the Appeal Court will start with the appeal from Saturday, March 5th.

from al-Sahwa:

The Shora Council of Islah Party continued its regular round to elect the supreme board members on Wednesday.

However, the following names won the membership of Islah supreme board:

1-Sheikh Abdul-Majed al-Zindani, 84 votes.

2-Yassin Abudl-Aziz, 82 votes.

3-Ahmed al-Qomairi , 82 votes .

4-Mohammad Hassan Damaj , 62 votes.

5-Mohammad Qahtan,62 votes .

6-Ali Alawadi ,58 votes .

7-Hamid al-Ahmer,57votes .

8- Hamoud Hashim,56 votes .

9-Ghalib al-Ajda’a, 52 votes .

10-Mahfoodh Shammakh .

On the other hand, Abdul-Wahab al-Ansi, took the oath as the secretary general of the party.

Misuse of funds is common, and its hard to believe anyone will pay any consequences. The ones who pay the price are for the villagers who were supposed to get the new news and pumping stations.

fromNews Yemen: The Yemeni Parliament states it will summon ministers of planning and international cooperation and agriculture and irrigation for questioning over a complaint raised by the committee of agriculture, fisheries and water resources in the Parliament.

The Parliament’s committee recommended the Parliament, in its report it finished by mid of 2005, to call the two ministers for questioning as they restructured the project of Rural Development in Hadhramout, Shabwa, Abyan and Lahj and expended the project’s amounts on other future projects and training courses for local councils violating the project’s goals and the Parliament recommendations when it has approved the project’s grant agreement with IFAD, according to the committee.

The committee said the total cost of the project was USD 45.8 million, $24.7 million funded by IFAD and the rest was funded by the government and beneficiaries. It said the project was to target 23 rural families to develop their living standards through reforming 9300 fadans in Hadhramout, Shabwa, Abyan and Lahj as well as digging out 215 water wells and fixing 227 pumping units and stretching 280-miter-long of plastic pipes.

The committee confirmed the funds had been allocated for other projects of rural roads, drinking water, education, health and sanitation and training staffs of local councils. The main project did get only $1.200, 5% of the funds, said the committee.

Statement On The Withholding Of “Al-Shoura Net” And The Continuation Of The Burglary On Al-Shoura Newspaper And “Sout Al-Shoura”.

A continuation of the policy of repression and targeting of media and press freedoms in the country, on Sunday evening, February 24, 2007 the authorities withhold “Al-Shoura Net” electronic website after a series of official threats against the website and the staff; Most recently in the words of an official source on the 26th of September militarism press.

The official withholding is new violation added to the series of formal targeting pain phases of the media Issued by the Yemeni forces Union Party. It is targeting our electronic website after it had targeted “Al-Shoura” press and “Voice of the Al-Shoura” because we are criticizing corruption, the prejudices of Rights and Freedoms, and our continuing need for political and cultural reforms And good governance, It also targeting our party after the political authorities approval. On contrast side, full freedom inside their newspapers.
Moreover, they adopted many official suppression patterns towards our media freedoms, we can observe most here:
 On September 5, 2004 a court ruling against the chief editor of “Al-Shoura” weekly newspaper, Abdul Karim Khaiwani, judged and incarcerated for a year with the force, stopping the newspaper for seven months; Al-khaiwani was incarcerated immediately after the court sentence and was prevented from the right of appeal.
 This penalty came when the newspaper issued important topics on the press, until that moment in the official taboo; the most prominent file was the “hereditary rule” in the country. And the “oil corruption” and the phenomenon of collecting government officials among their official positions and the practice of Trade.
 At the end of March 2005 in response to the pressures and demands of local organizations and the Arabs and international Concerned on press freedoms, Authorities released the chief editor of “Al-Shoura” Under an amnesty by the President of the Republic. Then “Al-Shoura” newspaper is being resumed its publication in April of the same year, But it soon became under suppression again where an armed gang, supported by elements of security, storming the headquarters of the newspaper and Expelled workers, occupation and control of all properties including the monthly “Voice of Al-Shoura“properties. Although we recourse to the security agencies, but they refrained from taking any legal step against the robbery gang, the adjudication also refused to consider a court case in this regard, With the oral promises of the President of the Republic to return the pending press and buildings until now.
 The authorities took additional steps in this repression prevented the National press of printing “Al-Shoura”, while the Ministry of Information granted licenses to armed gang enabled it to the issuance of our “Al-Shoura” press as a faked and reproduced press. Until now it still issued in fake format funded by the governor party with full official facilities as the printing of the newspaper reproduced in the “Al-thorah governmental press.
 The “Voice of Al-Shoura,” political, intellectual, press that is published monthly, is also banned from publication and the confiscation of their properties beside “Al-Shoura” press properties. Also Mr. Abdallah Sabri Editor-in-chief of “Al-Shoura” is subjected of the trial continues two years ago in a lawsuit brought by Undersecretary of The Ministry of the Interior and Security Council because of the issue of the publication.
 Authorities withhold “Al-Shoura Net” website on the polling day of presidential and local elections, in September 2006, however, we were enable to re-launch the website. Again, authorities have obscured attempts collusion between The Ministry of Communications, the only operator of the Internet in the country and Local mediator of the hosting company on the net that caused creating number of technical obstacles led to Consecutive changes in the links and the address of the site.
 The chief editor was arbitrary prevented from traveling outside of the country where he was detained in 18 / 11 / 2006 in Sana’a Airport. As he was preparing to travel to Morocco to participate in the effectiveness of human rights, he was transferred to the Ministry of the Interior and detained there for two hours without receiving an explanation of the reason for this action against him.
 Before the latest withholding, the chief editor of the website has forced to attend court hearings on the subject of a lawsuit brought by the Ministry of Defense related the issue of the publication, The trial, which coincides with another trial are subject the editor in a similar lawsuit brought by the Chief of the Doctrine of the armed forces because the issue of the publication too.
 The inflammatory campaign against the website remained rise along the last period in the government newspapers, military and media of the ruling party.

What we are exposed to come in regards of official comportment against the press, in general can be described as an oppression, repression and the confiscation of the rights and freedoms. This comportment is reached us and extended to another presses and journalists all over the country.

We urgently call upon all organizations, press and rightly institutions to solidarity with the “Al-Shoura Net” website, “Al-Shoura” press and “Voice of Al-Shoura”; stating that this solidarity practically by forcing the Yemeni government to unlock the ban of the website and two newspapers and stop the repression, violations and Commitment to the provisions of the Constitution, international covenant and the pledges made before the donors and supporters for the freedoms of democracy in Yemen.
By: Al-Shoura Stuff
Sana’a Feb 27,2007

The regime says it has documents that show which external forces are supporting the Houthi rebellion, yet doesn’t disclose who or share the documents publically.

almotamar.net – Staff Brigadier Mutahar Rashad al-Masri, the deputy interior, minister announced Tuesday that security apparatuses seized documents that were in possession of some terrorists involved in the Saada sedition events disclosing the sides standing behind it and those financing it and its foreign connections.

Al-Masri said those documents reveal dangerous dimensions of this sedition and schemes hostile to the homeland and the citizen.
In a large meeting in Saada on Tuesday with number of military commands, sheikhs and notables and citizens from the governorate he clarified,” Dimensions and goals of these Houthi terrorist elements and the acts of sabotage and crimes they are carrying out against the country and the governorate of Saada in particular and its sons come in implementation of foreign plans intending to settle their own accounts on the Yemeni land and at the expense of the Yemeni homeland and the people.” He indicated that those terrorists endeavoured to spill out their evil poisons inside our society but our people and their armed forces and security are confronting them.

The deputy interior minister affirmed that the political and military leaderships are intent to eliminate the evil of these terrorist elements and purge the country of them as well as to protect security and stability of the country especially after they have exhausted all peaceful measures. He expressed his gratitude and appreciation for the courageous national stand of the sons of the governorate who have supported the armed forces and security in standing up to those terrorists that did not learn their lessons from previous confrontations and did not benefit from the opportunities granted to them many times by the political leadership represented by president Ali Abdullah Saleh to return to the right path and they have not benefited from the general pardon decision.

Sheikhs and notable of the governorate have on their part vowed their support for the strict measures the state and its armed forces and security are carrying out in repelling this terrorist group that is instructed by foreign forces to damage the country’s interests, security and stability.

Does that mean his 17 year old son, who was recently arrested, doesn’t have immunity any more either?

almotamar.net – Yemen parliament approved Wednesday a move lifting MP Yahya al-Houthi’s immunity with sweeping majority. The September.net website quoted parliamentary source as saying that the number of MPs accepted the move amounted to 194 out of 220 parliament members who attended the session while four MP abstained from voting.

Not even commenting on if any of the following charges against al-Houthi are true, what I find striking about the list is that these offenses are perpetrated every day in Yemen by those with a different fundamentalist ideology, ie, what they are accusing Yahya of is spreading an idea by teaching young people and talking to the media.

Also the regime (which is hotly crying about foreign interference and support of the Houthis) is bizarrely hypocritical when you consider it’s stance toward Iraq: the Yemeni regime undermines the legitimacy of the duly elected Iraqi government, praises those who use violence to attack and destabalize Iraq, gives a platform to those (like al-Dhari) to forment sedition against the Iraqi regime, finds it legal fior Yemenis to murder Iraqis, hosts the Iraqi Baathist resistance leaders, and some officials utilize the power of the Yemeni state provide material support for those who are trying to destabilize Iraq. Yes, when people elect a government, the elected government should have a monoply on the use of force and outsiders who disagree have no place in destabilizing the government. Saleh claims Yemen’s soverignty is being violated by meddling foreign forces and then he praises the Iraqi reisistance, kisses al-Dahari and turns a blind eye to the Yemenia flights filled with teenagers bent on murder.

Back to Yahya:

Almotamar.net – Report by the Yemeni parliamentary committee of constitutional and legal affairs issued about the proposal of lifting parliamentary immunity from Yahya Badrudin al-Houthi mentioned he is one of the members of the leadership of a Safavite terrorist organisation established in 1999 and started its activity hostile to the state through polarization of young persons and educating them with organizational, intellectual and political lessons. The organisation also instigates them against the republican system and the call for Caliphate as exclusive right to certain families. It also directs them to lower the national flag from flag posts of some public schools to raise instead of it the yellow-coloured flag of the organisation, to abandon the greeting to the national flag and to have the organisation slogan instead.

The organisation also urges to not pay the zakat to the state as it is illegitimate, as they say and formation of armed militias the report mentioned that Yahya al-Houthi used his house in the capital Sana’a for holding meetings of the leadership of the organisation with foreign delegations as well as for television and radio and press interviews in which he made accusations against the state and he then left the country while continued his contacts with foreign countries and parties with the aim of internationalization of the sedition in Saada in addition to his contacts with those who call themselves the opposition outside.

The report reviewed before the parliament on Monday added that al-Houthi has become active in the leadership of the Safavite organisation in the call for the imamate rule by using all possible means and the adoption of the Faqih sovereign, fomenting mutiny against the ruler, dissemination the spirit of sectarianism by taking advantage of the Zaidi sect as an umbrella for the promotion for those ideas, also the instigation of citizens against the state measures and the spread of rumours offending the national regime in order to create a social resentment against the situations in Yemen.

At the end of the report the constitutional committee called on the parliament to accept lifting the parliamentary immunity from MP al-Houthi so that the judicial sides are able to complete their measures.

What a bunch of rubbish.