Armies of Liberation

a traitor to the resistance, they say

Sahwa Net – Nearly 60 Yemeni lawmakers demanded on Saturday the Yemeni government to not receive what they called the outgoing Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas in Yemen, pointing out that he betrayed the Palestinian issue and conspire against the national resistance.

The deputies also asked the government to not receive any Yemeni assistance to all those Palestinian officials who stood against the resistance.

Kuwaiti lawmakers had urged their government to bar the Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas from an Arab economic summit taking place in the Gulf state in protest at his stance over Israel’s offensive in Gaza.

Yemen Online

Former bodyguard for Bin Laden: I escaped from the intelligence prison through a tunnel we dug by spoons, and the new Al-Qaeda members are engaged in decentralized retaliatory
YemenOnline. January 31, 2009 – In an interview with Al-Quds Al-Arabi, former bodyguard of Sheikh Osama bin Laden’s – Fawzi Al-Wajeeh – talked about the organization of al-Qaeda in Yemen and Somalia.

His full story was covered during the interview, beginning with his enrolment to Al-Qaeda, his escape from prison through a tunnel dug by spoons, and his surrender to the President Ali Salih. Regarding integration into the community in exchange of abandonment of violence, he said ” the issue is not a matter of barter, but a question of convictions stemming from the experiences in the field of reality that we and the state have lived and experienced, and everyone arrived at the convictions of working towards the unity of the sons of one homeland” On Al-Qaida and the new generation, he said ‘there was central in the selection of targets, and I consider the youth of the post-September 11as a revolution of decentralized reprisals caused by American pressure on Arab governments, which generated a clash between them and these young people ‘.

(Read on …)

Trying to block the Saudi border. At least the Yemeni seciurity knows where all the smuggling routes are.

Terrorist plot for strikes at foreign interests in Yemen

Almotamar.net – Security source has Saturday told almotamar.net that Yemeni authorities have begun deployment of hundreds of soldiers in their border areas in precaution for infiltration of al-Qaeda members from neighbouring countries into Yemeni territories for implementation of a terrorist plot against foreign interests and vital installations in Yemen.

The source that asked not to be identified said these measures came in the wake of the Yemeni security authorities have obtained information on some elements of al-Qaeda in Saudi Arabia attempting to infiltrate into the Yemeni territories in order to join colleagues present in Yemen and to launch joint terrorist attacks on vital installations and foreign interests in the country.

The source also disclosed of confessions made by persons suspected of affiliation to al-Qaeda organisation, among them Saudis with whom investigations are still going on, their confessions mentioned they receive logistic support from foreign parties for perpetrating their terrorist acts, particularly targeting the American and British embassies in addition to some tourist facilities and establishments in Yemen. The source declined to mention about the identity of those sides for reasons he said related to being connected to security measures.

Assistant OF THE Saudi Interior Minister Prince Mohammed bin Naif bin Abdulaziz Al Saud last week visited Yemen carrying a message from the Saudi Monarch King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz to President Ali Abdullah Saleh pertaining to bilateral relations and areas of coordination and cooperation especially in security fields and combating terror.

The Saudi official visit to Yemen came days after a blitz operation carried out by Yemeni security that involved armed confrontation with elements from al-Qaeda organisation cell and resulted in the killing of two members of the cell

Two Al-Qaeda suspects arrested.
YemenOnline. January 31, 2009 – The security forces in the governorate of Marib arrested two Al-Qaeda suspects, a Kuwaiti national named Yusuf Said Abdel Latif Aldhirbas and another Yemeni named Ali Said Al-Qared.
Meanwhile, a number of national observers were surprised at the failure of reconciliation efforts exerted by Shiekh Soltan Al-Aradah in Mareb Governorate.

Heavy military reinforcements arrived today to Al-Damasheqa area to demand the hand over of one of ten accused persons of being to Al-Qaeda members.

Update: YemenOnline March 24 – Yemeni security in Marib arrested a Kuwaiti citizen called Abdel Latif Aldhirbas .He leaved in Marib governorate for ten years as flock of sheep and camels. Official source assure that the security of Marib are conducting an investigation with Aldhirias, especially after having his Yemeni citizenship in illegal way and with some charges which are connected to Al Qaeda.

First, Zawahiri promises Saleh more fighters:

Long War Journal – Tensions between the Saleh government and al Qaeda increased after an al Qaeda assault team conducted a coordinated attack on the US embassy in Sana’a. “Saleh feared his government would be the next target, but Zawahiri wanted al Qaeda prisoners released from Yemeni jails and committed al Qaeda foot soldiers to fight the Houthi rebels. Zawahiri does not want to sour relations” between al Qaeda and Iran, “so he took great care by reaching out to the Iranians.”

Second, the Saudi branch of Al Qaeda merges with the Yemeni branch, and unrolls a media blitz.

Third, Zawahiri promplty acknowledges the new organization, AQAP.

WMRC : Al-Qaida groups in both Yemen and Saudi Arabia have announced their intention to merge operations, heightening fears about a resurgence of attacks in the region. The announcement was made in a video recording by al-Qaida’s spiritual leader Aymen al-Zawahri which was broadcast online yesterday, according to Al Jazeera network. Nasir Wuhaishi was named as the new head of the joint al-Qaida group, a former Guantanamo Bay inmate Said al-Shihri was named deputy of the group. According to the video recording, the group would carry out attacks across the Arabian Peninsula and beyond.

The only question here is how credible is the information that Zawahiri promised fighters to Saleh. Its coming from “a senior US intelligence official” according to The Long War Journal, which is a highly credible site. Some analysts in Yemen insist the AQAP merger must be regime-sanctioned, and they don’t know about the reports of a Zawahiri-Saleh agreement.

Saleh is under huge domestic pressure, of his own making. He needs US and Saudi support. From Saleh’s side, the last step in the sequence would be a politically advantageous terror attack or to unleash AQAP on his domestic enemies- the Houthis or the Southerners. Meanwhile al Qaeda central would take advantage of the situation to advance its long term strategy, as it has been doing all along, or shorter term goals.

That’s a freaky but not improbable scenario.

Update: Fourth, AQAP explains the strategy to its members and legitimizes fighting for the state by referencing the 1994 war.

The Empty Quarter notes the letter obtained by News Yemen from AQAP leadership to members says Saleh wants AQAP to fight for him, especailly those who did already in 1994, and AQAP demanded more prison releases and unimpeded travel to external theaters of jihad.

The letter seems like an explanation to make AQAP’s mercenary trade-off acceptable to the members by reminding them of the 1994 war when jihad for the state was “good (mercenary) jihad” and by showing members that AQAP will be getting a good deal in return. But it sounds like the Zawahiri deal hitting the streets.

Update: Releases, 11 with 170 to follow, later reports openly confirm this.

al Sahwa

Sahwa Net – Yemeni security forces released on Tuesday 11 al-Qaeda suspects who were held at al-Mansour prison in Aden , well-informed sources told Sahwa Net.

According to the sources, the release came following issuing official orders to the prison management , pointing out that these orders would include 140 prisoners charged with affiliation to al-Qaeda.

The sources also revealed that the freed persons pledged to abandon terror acts which could damage Yemen , its security and stability.

Yemeni security sources had declared last month that it managed to thwart escaping attempt from al-Mansoura prison, indicating that an underground tunnel was discovered inside the prison.

Just as an aside, the 2006 foiled plot on the oil facilities led by Wahishi came days after a Zawahiri rant about Crusaders and oil blah blah.

This poor guy al-Khaiwani gets targeted so much, he has his own catagory.Menassat

CAIRO, January 29, 2009 (ANHRI/IFEX) — The Arabic Network for Human Rights Information (ANHRI) strongly denounces the 26 January 2009 decision by Yemen’s Special Terrorism Court upholding the initial sentence against prominent journalist Abdel Karim Al Khaiwani to six years in prison, originally leveled against him in June 2008. This decision is contrary to the presidential pardon the journalist received in September, and formal assurances from the Minister of Justice and other judicial officials that the case had been closed.

The court upheld the 6-year prison sentence against Al Khaiwani who was charged with being a member of a terrorist cell and part of the Al Houthi faction. According to Al Khaiwani, he had not been summoned to a court session and had not been notified that the trial was underway. Moreover, the court did not consider an appeal filed by the defense against the severity of the initial sentence passed on 9 June, despite the fact that the hearing had been documented by several local and international media. (Read on …)

Judge al Hittar is the Minister of Endowments in Yemen. He supposedly rose through the security ranks to become a judge and later began the religious dialog program in 2002, which in and of itself is a good idea. Judge al Hittar is a bit biased against Hashimites (shocker!) and thats why there was never any dialog with the Houthi rebels. In the dialog program with imprisoned al Qaeda operatives, al Hittar only discussed the non-acceptability of attacks within Yemen and going to Iraq for jihad was not actively discouraged. The program itself became an expedited release program, a charade of reform, and was discontinued in 2005. This is the guy who will be in charge of “rehabilitating” the Gitmo detainees. (In the 2006 escape, the 23 al Qaeda prisoners tunneled- with their spoons- to the ladies bathroom in a mosque where al Hittar preaches.)

The existance of a private prison is sad for a ministry that is supposed to be overseeing all things religious. Shame shame. However, private prisons are common. Powerful people have the authority to imrpison citizens without recourse, and Kudos to HOOD for taking a stand when a preacher was randomly thrown into this jail.

HOOD revealed a secret private prison inside the Endowment Minister facility after receiving a complaint from an ordinary person and then a team from HOOD lawyers went to follow up and pictured the prison.

Maher Mohammed Ismail Hebah, an orator and Immam of al-Ansar mosque, was apprehended yesterday “without knowing exactly his charges”, he said to HOOD lawyer Abdul-Rahman Barman.

News has come up before about private prison in the ministry, but was uncertain until it was realistically disclosed today, said Barman. “It is ironic that as you enter the building, ‘Smile, you are at the Endowment Ministry’ phrase caught an eye,” said Barman.

This prison is considered illegal because the ministry is not entitled to arrest anyone. “It is a crime to apprehend anyone without a judicial writ,” said Khaled al-Anesi, the executive Director of HOOD.

On other hand, the ministry imprisoned Hibah due to his apposing speech in his mosque aginst the ministry and the government, said Mohammed al-Hajj, the secretary of the Minister. He confirmed that there is no prison but detention for the problems that happen in the ministry. Al-Hajj said that the ministry has the right to arrest whoever create unrest. He added that the matter is simple, Hibah should bring a guarantor to get him released. Hibah is reported that he signed a statement that he committed to stopping talking in such manner.

HOOD sent a letter to the General Prosecution to visit the detention scene to close it and release Hibah. The team, who went to visit the place, is the lawyers: Mohammed al-Aroosi, Taha Farhan, Ahmed Arman and Abdul-Rahman Barman

via World Mag, an analysis from Stratfor.com I’m happy to see them note the subversion of parts of the security and military. But they are not all hold overs from the 1994 war, many jihaddists were integrated into the ruling apparatus in the last decade and the last several years. Co-option, lovely, I get it but there’s a tipping point where the jihaddists begin to co-opt the structures. We past that point a while ago. A jihaddi in a tie or a uniform is still a jihaddi. Also the article notes al Wahishi exploits in AQAP his stature and training from his association with bin Laden, but never broaches the idea of any current commication between the two. Nothing on the training and indoctrination the jihaddists have been receiving in Sa’ada. I dont mean to nitpick, its a very good article that covers a lot of ground well.

Like the Saudi node, the fortunes of other al-Qaida regional franchises have risen or fallen based upon ability of the franchise’s leadership. For example, in August 2006 al-Qaida announced with great fanfare that the Egyptian militant group Gamaah al-Islamiyah (GAI) had joined forces with al Qaeda. Likewise, in November 2007 al-Qaida announced that the Libyan Islamic Fighting Group (LIFG) had formally joined the al-Qaida network. But neither of these groups really ever got off the ground. While a large portion of the responsibility for the groups’ lack of success may be due to the oppressive natures of the Egyptian and Libyan governments and the aggressive efforts those governments undertook to control the new al-Qaida franchises, we believe the lack of success also stems from poor leadership. (There are certainly other significant factors contributing to the failure of al-Qaida nodes in various places, such as the alienation of the local population.) (Read on …)

Are they clamping down on the Hashemites again? What is packaged as mosque reform over the last years has pretty much been outlawing mention of Iman Ali Talib and taking over Zaidi mosques. Meanwhile Abdullah al-Reimi was preaching openly in a mosque in one of the governorates last year, ah, maybe 2007. The guy who murdered Jarallah Omar was the prison’s preacher until he was suddenly executed. There’s many examples. The government, including the courts, defends jihad and civilian murder abroad as long as it is within the confines of “legitimate resistance”. Every little bit helps, but there’s just so much propaganda that its impossible to have confidence in government announcements, especially with Judge al Hittar as Endowments Minister.

al Motamar:

New law regulating mosques work in Yemen
Wednesday, 28-January-2009
almotamar.net – The Yemeni government submitted Tuesday, in its meeting held under chairmanship of Prime Minister Dr Ali Mohammed Mujawar, draft law organizing work of mosques. The draft law was presented by the Ministry of Endowments. The draft law was referred to a ministerial committee headed by Deputy Premier for Economic Affairs, the Minister of Planning and International Cooperation to revise it and refer it t the cabinet for discussion and endorsement.

The draft law aimed to revive the message f the mosque related to faithfulness, education and guidance as well as protection of the mosque sanctity and improvement of its administration and construction for performance of Islamic rites and other of the goals enhancing role of mosques in serving the citizen.

I wonder if she went to Saleh’s village again to get all henna-ed up.

Let me do my Bodine impression, “We really must be understanding of the tremdous challenges the regime is facing and lend them all our support to get through these difficult times.”

I’m sure Saleh was happy to see her again.

US official praises Yemen’s development achievements
Thursday, 29-January-2009
Almotamar.net, Saba – Minister of Planning and International Cooperation Abdul-Karim al-Arhabi and US delegation of Prince Town University headed by Barbara Bodine discussed Wednesday development cooperation between the two countries.

Maybe this, “It is extremely difficult to have confidence in the regime’s commitment to security issues,” she said.

For the record my full answer did express concerns about the Gitmo detainees reintergration into society, possible torture and arbitrary arrest. However there were several people interviewed for the article who expressed similiar concerns, so the author took that part of my answer which is good because someone has to say it.

Yemen Times: Vague plans for Gitmo returnees’ rehabilitation center

SANA’A, Jan. 28 — President Ali Abdullah Saleh confirmed last week the government’s eight-month old announcement to set up a rehabilitation center for Yemeni returnees from Guantanamo. The center will be operational within three months from now.

“Ninety-four Yemeni detainees will be here among us” stated President Saleh during the security conference last week. He also mentioned that the former US administration had suggested sending the Yemeni detainees to Saudi Arabia rather than Yemen because of the lack of a rehabilitation environment in the country. (Read on …)

What we are all talking about today is this article on a few sites saying News Yemen saw a letter to AQAP inviting the group to attack the southerners. News Yemen is a reputable organization, not partisan and normally quite painstaking about its fact checking, but this is bizarre on its face; however not that bizarre that its impossible.

Network Shabwa Press – rebounds – The al-Qaeda in Yemen, what may be the most controversial document emphasizes on the relationship between the regime of President Ali Abdullah Saleh collections jihadists خصوصاً الذين اشتركوا في حرب 94 ضد الحزب الاشتراكي اليمني. Especially those who participated in the 94 war against the Yemeni Socialist Party.

فقد ذكر موقع نيوز يمن المستقل يوم الأربعاء أنه حصل على نسخة من رسالة وجهها التنظيم إلى أعضائه باسم “التحديات الراهنة في أرض اليمن” وفيها دعوة إلى استغلال الحركة الجنوبية لخدمة القاعدة وتكشف أيضا عن تفاصيل علاقة الرئيس بالجهاديين. According to the site of the independent News Yemen on Wednesday that it received a copy of a letter addressed to the members of the organization as the “current challenges in the land of Yemen,” and invited the group to exploit the South to serve al-Qaeda and also reveal the details of the relationship Paljhadiin President.

وقالت الرسالة إن الرئيس علي عبدالله صالح “يعيش هذه الأيام حالة من الخوف بسبب تلك الأوضاع ما جعله يستدعي المجاهدين وخاصة الذين شاركوا في حرب صيف 1994م مبدياً استعداده بصرف مبالغ مالية لهم مقابل إخراجه من هذه المحنة”. The message said that President Ali Abdullah Saleh, “These days, living a state of fear due to these conditions is required to make it, especially the mujahideen, who participated in the summer war in 1994 and expressed the readiness of financial payments in return for them out of this ordeal.” (Read on …)

al Motamar

President proposes a Yemeni project for Arab States Union to Kuwait summit
Tuesday, 20-January-2009
Almotamar.net – President Ali Abdullah Saleh presented Monday to the leaders of the Arab countries attending the Arab Summit ‘ summit of solidarity with the Palestinian people in Gaza’ presently held in Kuwait a project prepared by Yemen for the establishment of Arab States Union. (Read on …)

Who? ISAI

However, it seems that his deportation from Bosnia and Herzegovina, either to Serbia or Bahrain, will be delayed for some time. The Bosnian Federation Prosecutor’s Office is also hoping to question Al Hamad with regard to a handful of murders allegedly committed by Mujahideen fighters. (Read on …)

This is excellent news. Neonatal tenanus is a killer that can be prevented or treated like measles, diabetes and cholera.

SANAA, 26 January 2009 (IRIN) – A major campaign to eliminate neonatal tetanus and measles – two killer diseases of children in Yemen – is under way, according to the Health Ministry’s National Programme for Vaccination (NPV).

The six-day campaign began on 24 January.

The neonatal tetanus campaign is targeting some 2,170,000 women aged 15-45 in 17 of the country’s 21 governorates. Over 15,000 health workers are involved in the drive, which is being funded by the Ministry of Health, the UN World Health Organization (WHO) and the World Bank, according to Essa Mohammed, head of the NPV. (Read on …)

Wonder if Zawahiri discussed it in the negotiations with the regime about new releases and fighters for Sa’ada? That’s the opposition meme, the merger is a power play by Saleh on SA to diminish any support for the southern liberation movement. The article has a good characterization of the strategic importance of Yemen to al-Qaeda Central, “huge”.

AJ: Al-Qaeda groups in Yemen and Saudi Arabia have announced they are merging their operations, raising fears of new attacks in the region.

The organisation said on Tuesday that the joint forces would carry out operations across the Arabian peninsula and beyond.

Nasir Wuhaishi was named as the head of the new combined al-Qaeda unit.

Wuhaishi’s appointment was confirmed by Ayman Al-Zawahiri, the deputy al-Qaeda chief, in a video posted online.

The group’s deputy was named as Said Ali al-Shihri, a former prisoner at the United States’ Guantanamo Bay detention facility, who was released from Saudi custody in 2007.

Yemeni authorities said they had stepped up security following the announcement.

‘Huge significance’

Analysts say Yemen is of huge significance to al-Qaeda.

“Weapons, training, crossing points and the launch of operations have all come from Yemen,” Abd Alelah-Haidar, a “terrorism” specialist who has met Wuhaishi, told Al Jazeera.

“This country is seen as having strategic significance, not only by al-Qaeda, but also by others. [However,] their operations are not confined to the Arabian peninsula but also include Iraq, Afghanistan, Nahr al-Bared [in Lebanon], and Palestine.”

I spoke to a knowledgeable, normally skeptical person who said this is a credible figure and a credible scenario. So if we estimate $40.00 per barrel and 40 million barrels excluded from the official accounting, what is that, 1.6 billion, give or take some hundreds of millions?

The other thing to keep in mind is that government owned Safer took over after Hunt lost its PSA, so its likely the diversion of funds out of the government budget is continuing at a higher rate than ever.

Attagammua

Personalities involved in the window of the biggest corruption scandal in the country .. سرقة أكثر من 40 مليون برميل نفط Theft of more than 40 million barrels of oil
الأحد , 25 يناير 2009 م Sunday, January 25, 2009 m

“التجمع”-صنعاء/ خاص “Assembly” – Sana’a / special

علمت “التجمع” ان جهات وشخصيات نافذة في وزارة النفط متورطة في اكبر فضيحة فساد ونهب للمال العام تقدر قيمتها بمئات الملايين من الدولارات. Learned of the “Coalition” the views and personalities in the window of the Oil Ministry was involved in the biggest corruption scandal and the looting of public funds worth hundreds of millions of dollars.
وقالت مصادر حكومية رفيعة لـ”التجمع”: معززة بوثائق خطيرة ان اكثر من 40 مليون برميل نفط خام من حصة الحكومة تم التغاضي عن احتساب قيمتها ولم تستوعب في الدفتريات الحسابية الرسمية كاستحقاقات للحكومة بعد تقاسم حصة الانتاج بين شركة هنت ووزارة النفط اليمنية. Government sources said a high of “assembly”: enhanced documents serious that more than 40 million barrels of crude oil from the government’s share has been overlooked for the calculation of the value was not absorbed into the formal mathematical Aldvtrellat benefits for the government’s share of production-sharing venture between Hunt and the Yemeni Ministry of Oil.
كان انتاج اليمن حينذاك يتراوح ما بين 400 – 450 الف برميل وتقول المصادر: ان الوثائق الرسمية كشفت ان تلك الكمية (40 مليون برميل) تم الاستيلاء عليها على مدى سنوات وكان ذلك قبل بلوغ النزاع بين الدولة وشركة هنت الامريكية اوجه عندما رفضت الحكومة اليمنية التجديد للشركة في استثمار حقول صافر في العام 2005 ولجوء الطرفين الى محكمة دولية للفصل في النزاع وكانت المحكمة اصدرت في منتصف العام 2008 حكماً ببطلان ادعاء الشركة الامريكية وحكمت لصالح اليمن واثبتت حقها في استثمار حقل صافر وعدم التجديد لشركة هنت. Yemen was the production time ranges between 400 to 450 thousand barrels, sources say: The official documents revealed that the quantity (40 million barrels) has been seized over the years and this was before the conflict between the State and the U.S. company Hunt aspects when the Yemeni government has refused the renewal of the company whistling in the investment field in 2005 and by the parties to an international tribunal for the adjudication of the dispute, the court issued in mid-2008 ruling invalidating the U.S. company’s claim and ruled in favor of Yemen and has proved its right to invest in a wheezy and non-renewal of the Hunt.
وكانت “التجمع” قد اتصلت بمسؤولين بوزارة النفط للتعليق وعلمت ان توجيهات عليا صدرت الى وزير النفط الحالي الاستاذ أمير العيدروس لمتابعة هذه القضية ورفع تقرير بشأنها لرئيس الجمهورية, وقالت المصادر: إن وزير النفط وبعد التشاور مع السلطات العليا وجه رسالة رسمية الى النائب العام تطالبه بالتحقيق في القضية والكشف عن تفاصيلها وعن الجهات والشخصيات المتورطة وتقول مصادر “التجمع”: إن النائب العام شكل بموجب توجيهات رئاسية لجنة قضائية رفيعة من مسؤولين في النيابة العامة للتحقيق في القضية وعلى اثر ذلك تم استدعاء عدد من المسؤولين في وزارة النفط ولجنة تقييم الاحتياطي المعنية بالقضية وكان محللون ومراقبون للنزاع بين وزارة النفط وشركة هنت قد قالوا: إن جهات يمنية رفيعة قد لوحت لمسؤولي الشركة الامريكية اثناء جلسات المحاكمة الدولية وصدور الحكم لصالح الجانب اليمني.. The “assembly” had contacted the oil ministry officials for comment, and learned that the guidance issued to the high current Oil Minister Amir ALAIDEROOS professor to pursue this issue and submit a report thereon to the President of the Republic, the sources said: The Oil Minister, after consultation with higher authorities in a formal letter to the Attorney-General asking him to investigate in the case and the disclosure of the details and the actors and personalities involved and the sources say, “assembly:” The Attorney-General under the guidance of a presidential form of a judicial commission of high officials in the Attorney General to investigate the case and then was summoned a number of officials in the Oil Ministry and the Commission assessment of the reserve on the case and was Analysts and observers of the conflict between the Ministry of Oil and Hunt had said: The high points of Yemeni had signaled to U.S. officials during the meetings of the company’s international prosecution and sentencing for the Yemeni side .. ان الجانب اليمني مستعد لفتح الملف الخاص بـ(40 مليون برميل) اذا أقدمت الشركة الامريكية على استئناف الحكم الذي صدر لصالح اليمن وهو الامر الذي يعتقد المراقبون انه دفع مسؤولي شركة هنت الى قبول قرار المحكمة مقابل تغاضي الجانب اليمني عن ملف (40 مليون برميل). The Yemeni side was ready to open the file on the b (40 million barrels) if the U.S. company to appeal the ruling which was issued in favor of Yemen, which observers believe that the payment of officials Hunt to accept the decision of the court in exchange for tolerating the Yemeni side of the file (40 million barrels).
وقال خبير نفطي لـ”التجمع”: وهو على اطلاع بتفاصيل القضية, لو كان الجانب اليمني قد جدد لشركة هنت العمل في حقول صافر لعشر سنوات لما كانت الشركة حصلت على قيمة الـ(40) المليون برميل. The oil expert of the “assembly”: who is familiar with the details of the case, if the Yemeni side has been renewed for Hunt work in the fields of wheezy ten years since the company has recently obtained a value of (40) million barrels.

Akhbaralasr

الأحد , 1 فبراير 2009
ان دمج تنظيم القاعدة في الجزيرة العربية يكشف ان السعودية بسبب فرار إلى مناخ أكثر ترحابا في اليمن ، والانضمام إلى الآخرين الذين وصلوا مؤخرا من العراق ، والصومال ، وباكستان. تنظيم القاعدة في اليمن أعلن الاندماج مع المملكة العربية السعودية لتنظيم القاعدة لتشكيل تنظيم القاعدة في شبه الجزيرة العربية ، أو عقاب. وجاء هذا الاعلان في أحدث الإصدارات من مجلة على الانترنت السادة آلعقاب ملاحم ، أو صدى الملاحم. وهناك أيضا الدعاية الفيديو الذي أصدرته جماعة يوم الجمعة.

الرئيس الجديد هو ناصرالعقاب ، وتنظيم القاعدة في اليمن وزعيم السكرتير الشخصي السابق لأسامة بن لادن. كان من جانب ايران لتسليم اليمن في عام 2003. الرجل الثاني في القيادة سعيد علي الشهري ، الذي تم إطلاق سراحه من جوانتانامو الى المملكة العربية السعودية في تشرين الثاني / نوفمبر 2007. سعيد الشهري واتهمت وزارة الدفاع في وثائق تقدم دعما لوجستيا لتنظيم القاعدة في ايران من بينها اطلاعهم على كيفية الدخول إلى أفغانستان. الجامعة العربية هي المتهمين بالمشاركة في تفجير السفارة الاميركية في سبتمبر 2008. السابق برتبة مقدم ، قاسم الريمي ، ويبدو في الشريط وقال : “إن الكارثة التي تواجهك بالنسبة لك ويكفي لتحقيق الذين هم الأعداء الحقيقيون الخاص بك : [هم] أولئك الذين يتكلمون لغتك… ولكن هل محاصرة وحرمان لكم العلاج الطبي والطعام والماء ، ومنع هؤلاء الذين إخوانكم في عمان والقاهرة ودمشق وبيروت والرياض وصنعاء من مساعدتكم. ”

وسوف بناء مخيمات تدريب في اليمن للمقاتلين الذين يرغبون في الانضمام الى الجهاد في قطاع غزة. وأعلنت الجماعة ، “من هنا نبدأ ونحن نجتمع في الاقصى” في غزة أيضا موضوع الدعاية البيانات الصادرة خلال هذا الشهر من قبل بن لادن وأيمن الظواهري ،الجامعة الليبي ، الطالبان ، و آل القاعدة في المغرب الاسلامي. ووفقا لشركة السادة ، المجموعة ستركز الاستراتيجية على قطع خطوط الامداد من الدول الغربية الداعمة لاسرائيل.

ترسيم تابعة بين الجماعات الجهادية في اليمن غالبا ما يكون على طول الخطوط الجغرافية وكذلك تعتمد على قوة علاقة بتنظيم القاعدة المركزية القادة. في الأسبوع الماضي صحيفة الوسط أفاد بيان صادر عن كتائب جند اليمن ان اكثر من 300 توجه الجهاديين الى العراق ، والصومال ، وأفغانستان في عام 2008. المفاوضات مع الحكومة فشلت ، وفقا للقائد “أبو أسامة”. “لم يتبق بيننا وبينهم (الحكومة) إلا السيف” ، حسبما ذكر البيان. جاء هذا البيان بعد ان القوات اليمنية قتلت اثنين من العاملين في صنعاء الاسبوع الماضي.

وعدت مجموعة من الهجمات على منشآت نفطية ، والسياح ، وقوات الأمن. واضاف البيان ان محافظات ابين وشبوة ، حضرموت ، مأرب ، وشركة الجوف ، وصعدة على وشك الوقوع في تنظيم القاعدة. في كانون الأول / ديسمبر ، قتل ثلاثة من الجهاديين في رجل مثلي الجنس ، وأبين والحاخام في عمران.

وقال التقرير إن الحرب الطويلة في المجلة أشارت إلى أن أيمن الظواهري ووعد الرئيس اليمني علي عبدالله صالح المزيد من المقاتلين للحرب صعدة شمال تريد مزيدا من السجون والافراج عن عملاء له. صالح الجهاديين وتستخدم لتدريب القوات شبه العسكرية المنتشرة ضد القبائل الشيعية والمتمردين والسكان المدنيين في كثير من الأحيان. ثقت هيومن رايتس ووتش الحكومة القصف العشوائي للمناطق السكنية في سعاده ، الحصار المفروض على المواد الغذائية والادوية الى المدنيين ، والاعتقالات التعسفية ، ومنع وصول المساعدات الإنسانية باعتبارها مخالفة للقانون الدولي.

الحكومة اليمنية لدعم حماس

الرئيس صالح وركزت الجهود على تعزيز حركة حماس. صالح لجميع موظفي القطاع العام على منح راتب يوم واحد من قطاع غزة ، ودعا إلى تفعيل العربية اتفاقية الدفاع المشترك ضد اسرائيل فى 20 يناير خلال قمة في الكويت.

اليمن هي المزود الرئيسي للاسلحة للجماعات الجهادية في جميع أنحاء المنطقة ، وإسرائيل ، قال إن اليمن تهريب الاسلحة الى حماس عبر السودان ومصر. اليمن تستضيف زعيم حماس خالد مشعل اليوم الثلاثاء. ويحتفظ مكتب حماس في اليمن بدعم قوي من الحكومة اليمنية.

يوم 17 يناير ، نبع أخبار اليمن ، صحفي مصدرا مقربا من الحكومة ، وأعلن أن اليمن قد افتتحت أول مخيم لاستقبال الأجانب لتدريب للجهاد في غزة. ما يعني ان الجهاديين وسوف تلقى في صحيفة جامعة الإيمان التي يرأسها الشيخ بن عبد المجيد الزنداني الذي سمي ارهابية الممول من قبل لجنة الامم المتحدة 1267 ونتيجة لمستشاره الروحي لاسامة بن لادن من قبل وزارة الخزانة. الزنداني يعتبر حليفا قويا للرئيس صالح. مجمع الايمان في وقت لاحق نفى المتحدث باسم معسكر تدريب وكان داخل المبنى.

وادعت الولايات المتحدة الى ان جامعة الإيمان هي مركز تجنيد وتدريب لعناصر في القاعدة. وتشمل خريجي دورته الاميركي جون ووكر ليند والفرنسية بريجيت تحويل. داخل اليمن ، والادعاءات حول قرب الإيمان إلى معسكر يديره الرئيس صالح الاخ غير الشقيق للرئيس اليمني علي محسن الأحمر ، والتجنيد لابن لادن في 1980s. اليمن قوات الأمن والجيش ، وتحتوي على إدارة قوية من المتعاطفين مع بن لادن و “تأهيل.

اليمن يستعد لاستقبال معتقلين

الرئيس صالح أعلن أن الولايات المتحدة سوف اليمنية ترحيل 94 معتقلا في غضون ثلاثة أشهر. اليمن تبني مركزا لاعادة التأهيل والمساعدة مع الولايات المتحدة ، ومكتب التحقيقات الاتحادي هذا الاسبوع وسلم نصف مليون دولار من المعدات بما في جمع بيانات بيولوجية متنقلة يضع بصمات الأصابع. الرئيس صالح اليوم السبت ان اليمن قد رفض الخطة الامريكية لاطلاق سراح 94 الى المملكة العربية السعودية لإعادة التأهيل. في 23 يناير المقابلة ، قال السفير الامريكى لدى اليمن ، وستيفن ان “الحكومة اليمنية مشروعة يمكن الإشارة إلى بعض المسائل التي تعيق قدرة فعاليته ضد الارهابيين”.

لاحظ عن حالة من اليمنيين في غوانتانامو ، قال : “باستثناء الحالة التي يكون من الصعب جدا في بعض العناصر الأساسية ، نعتقد أن غالبية هؤلاء المعتقلين يمكن وضعها بصورة منتجة في برنامج إعادة الدمج… مع مرور الوقت والهدف من لتمكينهم من العثور على طريق العودة الى المجتمع اليمني دون أن يشكل خطرا على الأمن “.

اليمن له تاريخ مقلق استرضاء نشطاء القاعدة ، وهو التاريخ الذي يشمل الافراج المبكر من الإرهابيين المدانين ، هروب متعددة ، مما يجعل التعامل مع الجماعة الارهابية ، والكذب الصريح على الولايات المتحدة عن حالة من القاعدة. في عام 2000 ، تعرض لهجوم يو اس اس كول في ميناء عدن مما ادى الى مقتل 17 بحارا أمريكيا ، و 10 مدنيا قتلوا في الهجوم الارهابى على السفارة الاميركية في صنعاء في أيلول / سبتمبر الماضي.

أخبار العصر – akhbaralasr.net

Why am I entirely unsurprised? A high risk is generated by the intersection of al Qaeda and chemical weapons in a supportive, duplicitous environment, and that nexus exists in Yemen.

Hey, I know, lets send them a plane load of Gitmo detainees and trust in President Saleh’s sincerity and Judge al Hittar’s glib dialog to keep the world safe. The regime has an excellent track record of rehab and supervision, cooperation and intel sharing. Can I have my unicorn now?

In Al-Jazeera Website Interview, Al-Qaeda in Arabian Peninsula Emir Hints at WMD Attacks MEMRI No. 2216 – January 27, 2009

On January 26, 2009, the Al-Jazeera TV website www.aljazeera.net posted an interview with Abu Basir Nasir Al-Wahishi, Emir of Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula. According to the interview prologue, the interview was conducted as “white phosphorous bombs were raining down on Gaza City” and at the same time as Osama bin Laden’s audio message was released – that is, most likely before the ceasefire in Gaza. The prologue also states that AQAP operatives Nayef bin Muhammad Al-Qahtani and Abu Sufyan Al-Azdi Sa’id Al-Shihri were likewise present; Al-Shihri is a former Guantanamo detainee who recently appeared together with Al-Wahishi in a video.

I don’t take it lightly. There’s a lot of propaganda and crafting associated with AQY and now AQAP. Maybe I’m wrong, please. My unicorn will be very confused if I’m not.

Gee, no unrestricted international access to Saada governorate after four years? No aid, no journalists. Whats up with that? Sa’ada, where there’s jihaddists fighting for the regime under the command of the president’s half brother and former bin Laden recruiter, Ali Mohsen al Ahmar. To follow is the relevent section of my lunatic October 2005 article on possible CW use in Sa’ada. Its just bits and pieces, but sometimes where there’s smoke there’s fire:

(Read on …)

In the face of Saudi Arabia’s success against the al Qaeda organization, many Saudi operatives have fled to the more hospitable climate in Yemen, joining others who recently arrived from Iraq, Somalia, and Pakistan. Al Qaeda in Yemen announced its merger with Saudi Arabia’s al Qaeda organization to form al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, or AQAP. The announcement came in its latest release of the online journal Sada al Malahim, or the Echo of Epics. A propaganda video was also released by the group on Friday.

The new head of AQAP is Nassir al Wahishi, the al Qaeda in Yemen leader and former personal secretary to Osama bin Laden. He was extradited by Iran to Yemen in 2003. AQAP’s second-in-command is Said Ali al Shihri, who was released from Guantanamo to Saudi Arabia in November 2007. Said al Shihri was accused in Department of Defense documents of providing logistical support to al Qaeda operatives in Iran including briefing them on how to enter Afghanistan. Al Shihiri is accused of participating in the bombing of the US embassy in September 2008. Wahishi’s former lieutenant, Qasim al Reimi, appears in the video saying, “The calamity which you experience suffices for you to realize who your true enemies are: [They are] those who speak your language … but besiege you and deprive you of medical treatment, food and water, and those who prevent your brothers in Amman, Cairo, Damascus, Beirut, Riyadh and San’a from assisting you.”

AQAP will construct training camps in Yemen for fighters who wish to join the jihad in the Gaza Strip. The group declared, “From here we start and in Aqsa we meet!” Gaza has also been the topic of propaganda statements issued this month by bin Laden, Ayman Zawahiri, Yeyah al Libi, the Taliban, and al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb. According to Sada al Malahim, the group’s strategy will focus on cutting supply lines of Western nations supporting Israel.

The delineation among affiliated jihadi groups in Yemen is often along geographical lines as well as dependant on the strength connection to al Qaeda’s central commanders. Last week the local newspaper Al Wasat reported a statement from the Yemen Soldiers Brigade that more than 300 jihadists traveled to Iraq, Somalia, and Afghanistan in 2008. Negotiations with the government failed, according to commander “Abu Osama.” “There is nothing left between us and them (government) except for the sword,” said the statement. The statement came after Yemeni forces killed two of its operatives in Sana’a last week.

The group promised attacks on oil facilities, tourists, and security forces. The statement also said that the governorates of Abyan, Shabwa, Hadhramout, Marib, Al Jawf, and Sa’ada are on the verge of falling into al Qaeda control. In December, jihadis murdered three homosexual men in Jahr, Abyan and a Rabbi in Amran.

A report in The Long War Journal noted that Ayman Zawahiri promised Yemen’s President Ali Abdullah Saleh more fighters for the northern Sa’ada War and wanted more prison releases for his operatives. Saleh uses jihadis to train the tribal paramilitaries deployed against Shiite rebels and often the civilian population. Human Rights Watch documented the government’s indiscriminate bombing of residential areas in Sa’ada, the blockade on food and medicine to civilians, arbitrary arrests, and the denial of humanitarian access as contrary to international law.

Yemeni government support of Hamas

President Saleh has focused considerable efforts on strengthening Hamas. Saleh ordered all public employees to donate one day’s salary to Gaza and called for the activation of the Arab Joint Defense Agreement against Israel on Jan. 20 during a summit in Kuwait.

Yemen is a main supplier of weapons to jihadist groups throughout the region, and Israel said that Yemen smuggles weapons to Hamas through Sudan and Egypt. Yemen will host Hamas leader Khalid Mishaal on Tuesday. Hamas maintains an office in Yemen with strong support from the Yemeni government.

On Jan. 17, Yemen’s Naba News, a news source close to the government, announced that Yemen had opened its first camp to receive foreigners to train for jihad in Gaza. The would-be jihadists will be received at al Iman University, headed by Sheik Abdulmajid al Zindani who is designated as a terrorist financier by the UN’s 1267 committee and as a spiritual advisor to bin Laden by the US Treasury. Zindani is a strong ally President Saleh. An al Iman spokesman later denied a training camp was on the premises.

The US has alleged that al Iman University is a recruiting and training center for al Qaeda operatives. Its alumni include American John Walker Lindh and French convert Willie Brigitte. Within Yemen, allegations have centered on the proximity of al Iman to a military camp run by President Saleh’s half-brother Ali Mohsen al Ahmar, a recruiter for bin Laden in the 1980s. Yemen’s security forces, military, and administration contain a strong contingent of bin Laden sympathizers and “rehabilitated” jihaddists.

Yemen prepares to receive detainees

President Saleh announced that the US will repatriate 94 Yemeni detainees within three months. Yemen is building a rehabilitation center with US assistance, and the FBI this week delivered a half million dollars worth of biometric collection equipment including mobile fingerprint sets. President Saleh said Saturday that Yemen had rejected a US plan to release the 94 to Saudi Arabia for rehabilitation. In a Jan. 23 interview, US Ambassador to Yemen, Steven Seche noted, “The Yemeni government legitimately can cite capacity issues that hinder its effectiveness against terrorists.”

Remarking on the status of the Yemenis at Guantanamo, Seche said, “Except in the case perhaps of some very hard-core elements, we believe that the majority of these detainees can be put productively into a … reintegration program with the goal over time of enabling them to find a way back into Yemeni society without posing a security risk.”

Yemen has a troubling history of placating al Qaeda operatives, a history that includes early releases of convicted terrorists, multiple escapes, deal making with the terror group, and outright lying to the US on the status of al Qaeda operatives. In 2000, the USS Cole was attacked in the Aden port killing 17 US sailors, and 10 civilians were killed in a terror assault on the US Embassy in Sana’a last September.