Armies of Liberation

Yemen Online is “associated with” al Iryani as we know, so here he is as McBeth, really:

The True Picture of GPC and JMP negotiations and the role Dr. Al-Iryani played. YemenOnline exclusive. – Negotiations between the General People’s Congress GPC and the Joint meeting Parties JMP has been conducted for quite sometime while the political street awaited a solution.

YemenOnline exclusively reports what was going on behind the scenes regarding Yemen democratic experience.

The picture:

1) During the meeting of the General Committee of the General People’s Congress, Dr. Al-Iryani shows his objection, saying” Democracy is not Solo, and the International Community will not acknowledge elections carried out without the participation of the opposition parties.” (Read on …)

Thats funny, even some of the jihaddis can’t wrap their heads around al Qaeda and Iran. (Also very funny was the reaction at Muslm.net and Hanein when someone swapped out some beheading photos with bikini girls: “Raise the supervisors! I have pictures of prostitutes in the Muslim !!!!!!!” A gruesome photo spread of sawing off a human head is good to look at, but outrage and hysteria ensued at a picture of a female.They concluded they were being attacked by Zionists. After a couple of hours of lamenting and frantically beseeching for the moderator, both threads were deleted.) Anyway, a more traditional analysis of the forum from Jamestown:

A discussion in jihadi internet forums triggered by a posting entitled “Is there a secret cooperation between Iran and al-Qaeda?” raised suspicions over possible clandestine connections between Shiite Iran and al-Qaeda, the self-declared enemy of Shi’ism (muslm.net, February 18, 2008). (Read on …)

Awww, the feds made him cry and CAIR is there with tissues.

SANTA ANA, Calif. (AP)

Niazi is an Afghan native and a naturalized U.S. citizen. Authorities allege his sister, Hafiza, is married to Amin al-Haq, identified in court papers as a high-ranking al-Qaida member. Prosecutors say al-Haq was believed to have been bin Laden’s bodyguard around and after Sept. 11, 2001.

Al-Haq also is suspected of working with Younis Khalis, who founded the terrorist organization Hezb-e-Islami, which fights against international and U.S. troops in Afghanistan. Khalis assisted in founding al-Qaida and helped bin Laden leave Sudan in 1996, Eliot said…Niazi told the informant it was his “duty to engage in violent jihad” and was preparing to send the informant to terrorist training camps in Yemen or Pakistan, Ropel said.

The senior figures never go to jail (or stay in jail anyway), just these fringe players. Not to understate the threat of lunatics with ammo, but the threat wont be diminished until the system is unraveled from the top.

SANAA (AFP) — A Yemeni security court on Tuesday sentenced three members of an alleged Al-Qaeda cell to seven years each in jail on charges of plotting attacks and possessing explosives.

The fourth defendant, a 15-year-old, was handed a two-year prison sentence.
(Read on …)

fractures in the house of Saleh, al Sahwa:

Sahwa Net – The Joint Meeting Parties has denounced what labeled abuses and infringements practiced by the Yemeni official media against other parties , indicting that the authorities intervene on other party affairs and promote their divisions.

JMP expressed its sympathy with The Arab Socialist Ba’ath Party which was subject to defamation campaign , calling all other political forces to strongly condemn abuses and smears practiced against it .

Although the Predator strategy worked well in Pakistan, no Ali Saleh is not going to let the US pick off al Qaeda leaders. It was worth a try, but this is the same country that rejected Spanish forensic assistance after the Marib bombing. Saleh must have the fastest DNA lab in the world considering how quickly that bomber was positively ID’d (two hours?) although remains were “strewn all over” according to officials. It must be frustrating for the US upper eschelon to know where they are and not be able to go after them. (Read on …)

The Economist has a good article. There’s a nuance that hasn’t come to light yet and thats the unleashing of the regime loyal jihaddists in various locations around the country but we’ll get to it eventually.

With its rough terrain, weak central state and gun-slinging tribal culture, Yemen may prove a fairly secure redoubt for al-Qaeda. The group has suffered sharp setbacks in such places as Iraq, Lebanon and especially Saudi Arabia, where it has not mounted a serious attack since 2006. The relative quiet in Yemen, which some critics of its government ascribe to a secret amnesty whereby Sunni jihadists backed the state against a smouldering Shia insurrection in the country’s north, has been eroding. Waves of arrests, prompted partly by Western and Saudi pressure, have provoked an escalation of al-Qaeda attacks that culminated in a double car-bombing of America’s embassy in Sana’a last September; the attack failed to penetrate the fortified compound but left 16 people dead.

Though a Western diplomat in Sana’a describes al-Qaeda’s threat there as “very severe” and the government’s efforts to thwart it as merely “episodic”, it is Saudi Arabia, rather than Yemen itself, that is the group’s main target. The fact that al-Qaeda’s Saudi branch has been forced to regroup elsewhere, under Yemeni leadership, may be a sign of weakness rather than strength. As for Yemen, even if the danger of a few hundred armed jihadists is real, locals may well care more about other national plagues: the frightening scale of corruption, poverty, malnutrition, water depletion, Yemen’s plunging oil revenues, its ugly, four-year-old war in the north, simmering separatist sentiment in the south, constant tribal unrest and vicious power struggles among the ruling elite.

Another episode, Yemen gets notice an al Qaeda suspect is home and picks him up.

Yemen arrests al-Qaeda SuspectSANA’A, Feb. 26 (Saba) -Three people including an Al-Qaeda suspect have been arrested in Sana’a. (Read on …)

Lets see what happens. The odds are 87% (96%?) in the favor of the Yemeni government going the smoke and mirrors route, like with the governors “elections”. However, even grudging reforms are still reforms. The JMP has a lot of work to do internally.

Yemen Online

Yemen: Provisions of the agreement between GPC and JMP.
YemenOnline. Feb 25 – After several dialogues that the President called for between representatives of the General People’s Congress GPC and the Joint Meeting Parties JMP represented in the Council, and given the requirements of the national interest in carrying out free, fair and secure elections under a favorable political environment in which all political spectrums participate, all of the political parties represented in the Parliament hereinafter undersigned – the General People’s Congress, Islah Party, the Yemeni Socialist Party, the Unionist Nasserite People Party and the Arab Ba’ath Socialist Party – request from the Parliament Presidency to take necessary constitutional procedures to amend Article 65 of the Constitution related to the Parliament duration in accordance with the law, allowing the extension period of the present Parliament for two years due to the lack of sufficient time for implementing the following reforms:

Firstly, parties, political organizations and civil society organizations should be given the opportunity to carry out the constitutional amendments necessary for the development of the political and electoral systems, including the Quota.

Secondly, the political parties represented in the Parliament should be enabled to complete the discussion of topics that have not been agreed upon during the preparation of amendments to the electoral law and integrating what was agreed upon at the heart of law.

Thirdly, the Higher Committee of Elections and Referendum be reconstructed as provided by law.

Last year’s failure becomes this year’s PR stunt. But really with the piracy, corruption and terrorists, off shore drilling is quite a risk.

EIC
Stung when companies shunned its offshore tender round last year, Yemen plans to invite leading majors including Exxon Mobil, Royal Dutch Shell, Chevron and Total to enter into direct negotiations for any remaining blocks, Yemen’s top exploration official told International Oil Daily on Monday.

Good luck with that.

Wow this was a long time coming, three years, 25 announcments and two withdrawn investors later, ta da…corner stone. In 2007, the agreement was delayed and delayed until certain issues were worked out.

A 2006 report documented deposits of four million tons of copper and nickel. The zinc deposit in Jabali contains a geological resource of 12.6 million tons of oxide ore, grading 8.9 per cent zinc, 1.2 per cent lead and 68g/t silver. A feasibility study (in 2006) conducted by ZincOx for the development of the Jabali deposit estimated a rate of 800,000 tonnes per annum of ore, with a grade of 9.2 per cent zinc, over a mine life of 12 years. Gold reserves were discovered with one estimated 687,000 ton geological reserve containing about 15 tons of gold. Yemen also has significant quantities of marble and granite.

Yemen Observer
Prime Minister Dr. Ali Mujwar laid the foundation stone for Yemen’s first and largest mine, in the area of Jabal Salab in the district of Nahm, 110km northeast of Sana’a. The giant investment project cost more than $200 million dollars, and was built by the Jabal Salab Company (Yemen) Limited. The project is a joint-venture between the Jabal Salab Company, the ANSAN Company, and the British firm ZincOx.

The mine will provide the country with a large source of lead, silver and zinc; crude ore alone is estimated at being over 12.6 million tones, and contains 8.86% pure zinc.

During the inauguration ceremony, the Prime Minister expressed the state’s desire to support the mining industry as one of the most important sources for Yemeni economic diversification. The state is keen to diversify the country’s economy in order to alleviate the over-reliance on oil exports. During the inauguration ceremony, the Prime Minister expressed his hope that this mine will be the first of many, as many such future projects are planned. This includes possible gold mining in Hadramout and Hajjah, and copper mining in Amran and Taiz.

Mr. Brett Grist, the manager of ZincOx Resources PLC in Yemen said that work on the project had been long going, commencing in 1980, however the project had already brought numerous benefits to the region. He expected exports to commence in the first half of 2010 with the mines first shipment of Yemeni Zinc.

In reference to the benefits this project will provide to the country, Mr. Grist stated that the project is likely to create 400 jobs, and more than 1,000 indirect employment opportunities, through related businesses. He added that Yemeni employees will be properly trained, and amount to 95% of the projects employees. He went on to say that equipment used to search for zinc will be transferred over to the country, allowing Yemeni’s to benefit in the future, through the use of the equipment to search for gold.

The citizens living in the area expressed their hopes for the success of the project, and thanked the companies involved for the opportunity to participate in the projects development. Dr. Ishmael al-Janad, the Head of the Geological Survey Authority said this project represents the development of the second largest sector of the Yemeni economy after oil.

Economists have said this project will have a strong impact on Yemen’s economy, ensuring the country’s future growth and development. In total, the returns from this project will amount to nearly $600 million for the country’s economy.

They have no heart. None. A 92 year old man, think about that.

HOOD online-Translation: Radhia Khairan-Editor: Jane Novak

Yemeni Military Police have detained a 92 year old as a hostage and are refusing to inform his family of his location.

The police and other security forces in Yemen use the tactic of hostage taking to exert pressure on relatives. In this case, the Military Police incarcerated 92 year old Ali Ali Ahmed Shubaih in a bid to pressure his son to turn himself in to the police. His son is wanted in connection with an alleged land dispute.

Mr. Shubaih was arrested on February 3 although he had committed no crime. He was held on remand in Area Number Five at the Security Center in Sana’a. Mr. Shubaih is infirm, suffers from dementia and multiple ailments related to his age. Mr. Shubaih’s relatives filed a complaint with HOOD over the illegal and unconstitutional detention.

One of HOOD’s lawyers visited the detention center Saturday and found that the elderly gentleman was both blind and nearly unconscious. Mr. Shubaih was distraught, infirm and did not know where he was. He was transferred to hospital after HOOD’s visit and later returned to the jail.

Mr. Shbaih’s family reports today that security officials said Mr. Shubaih was transferred to another facility and refused to disclose his location. The family is extremely concerned for his well being.

HOOD sent a complaint to the General Prosecution maintaining that Mr. Shubaih’s detention is against law. HOOD seeks an investigation of the incident, the immediate release Mr. Shubaih and the prosecution of those responsible for this egregious act.

This was by no means the first incident of its type. In a similar case, 82 year old Sheikh Isshaq was detained as a hostage for two months in the Political Security’s center.

Editor: Jane Novak

Confidence building measures please?

No. The regime continues to refuse to release these prisoners (that were supposed to be released at least three times already) and moves them around despite the civil society protests and the danger of re-triggering the war. Oh well, Saada six will be worse and bigger than than any of the previous wars. Eventually the conduit between the Gulf and North Africa will be open.

Yemen – Saada
26/2/2009 PM

In the context of a defense to the power and lasting on the implementation of what has been agreed upon, it took thirty prisoners taken from the central prison in Sanaa, and instead of a release as provided for in the agreements have been taken to an unknown destination leaving the human rights agreements and the wall, thereby increasing the suffering of the detainees and their families, and emphasizes the indifference of the authority, which would serve the national interest.

Information Office of the Mr. / Abdul-Malik al-Houthi

26/2/2009م

في سياق تنصل السلطة المستمر والدائم عن تنفيذ ما تم الاتفاق عليه، فقد أقدمت على اقتياد ثلاثين سجينا من السجن المركزي بصنعاء, وبدلاً عن الإفراج عنهم كما نصت عليه الاتفاقات فقد تم اقتيادهم إلى جهة مجهولة ضاربة بالاتفاقات وحقوق الإنسان عرض الحائط, مما يزيد من معاناة المعتقلين وذويهم, ويؤكد على عدم اكتراث السلطة بما من شأنه خدمة المصلحة الوطنية.

المكتب الإعلامي للسيد / عبد الملك الحوثي
2/ ربيع الأول / 1430هـ

State sponsored terrorism anyone?

al Tajamo

Assembly: the establishment of camps for jihadist groups in the Abyan and Sana’a and Aden
الإثنين , 16 فبراير 2009 م Monday, February 16, 2009

“التجمع” – خاص “Assembly” – a special
كشفت مصادر امنية في السلطة المحلية بمحافظة أبين لـ”التجمع” ان جماعات جهادية حصلت على الضوء الاخضر من صنعاء لتقوم بتجهيز معسكر لها في منطقة جبال الاحبوش بالرميلة الواقعة بين مدينة جعار والحصن شمالاً. The security sources in Abyan province, the local authority of the “assembly” that jihadist groups got the green light from Sanaa to the processing of the camp in the mountains Alaahbuc Rumaila Ja’ar located between the city and the fort north.
وتقول المصادر: ان جماعات جهادية قريبة من جهات عسكرية في السلطة بصنعاء تقوم منذ ثلاثة اشهر ببناء تحصينات وخنادق وصهريج لمياه الشرب في جبال الاحبوش بدعم من تلك الجهات. Sources say: close to jihadist groups from the military in Sanaa has been three months to build bunkers, trenches and tank for drinking water in the mountains of Alaahbuc the support of them.
وتقول المصادر نفسها: ان عشرات ممن تم استقطابهم من الجماعات الجهادية يتلقون التدريبات في تلك المنطقة على استخدام مختلف انواع الاسلحة وممارسة الرياضة الشاقة بمختلف انواعها ولعدة ساعات في اليوم الواحد, وتقدم لكل افراد المعسكر ثلاث وجبات يومية كما يتدربون على السلاح اثناء تنفيذ العمليات الهجومية وعمليات القنص على اهداف ثابتة.. The same sources say: those that attract tens of jihadi groups have been trained in that area to use various types of weapons and the practice of sports and different kinds of hard labor for several hours per day, and provided to all members of the camp, three meals daily and are trained in the implementation of arms during the offensive operations and hunting targets fixed .. وبحسب المصادر فإن توجيهات عليا صدرت بمنع تعرض الاجهزة الامنية لافراد تلك الجماعات. According to sources, the directives were issued to prevent a higher offer security services to members of such groups.
وفي عدن قالت مصادر امنية ومحلية: ان جماعة من الجهاديين السلفيين اقاموا مجمعاً في منطقة الرباط يتكون من مسجد ومجمع سكني وهي منطقة خالية من السكان, وقالت المصادر: ان المجمع يستخدم من قبل جماعات سلفية جهادية لتدريبات رياضية ودروس لشباب واطفال دون الخامسة عشرة, وتقول المصادر: ان الجماعة الجهادية كانت تستخدم تلك المنطقة لإيواء العناصر التي كان يجري تهريبها في اوقات سابقة للقتال في العراق. In Aden, said security sources and local: a group of Salafi jihadists in the region lived in a compound consisting of the Rabat mosque and residential complex, an area free of the population, the sources said: The compound was used by the Salafi Jihadist groups, sports training and lessons for youth and children under five years, sources say : jihadist group that used the area to accommodate the elements that were being smuggled in earlier times to fight in Iraq.
وكشفت المصادر ان عملية بناء المسجد الذي اقيم في منطقة غير آهلة بالسكان تمت قبل بناء مدرسة وسكن داخلي لاشخاص من مناطق متفرقة يمكثون فترات محددة (دورات), وبحسب مصادر محلية يشاهد بين الحين والآخر تردد عدد من الشخصيات الاجتماعية والرسمية المعروفة بعلاقتها بمثل تلك الجماعات. The sources revealed that the process of building the mosque, which was held in the area was uninhabited before the construction of a school and a dormitory for people from different parts remain fixed periods (cycles), according to local sources, and then watched the other frequency for a number of social and official is known to be connected with such groups.
وفي صنعاء المحافظة قالت مصادر محلية: ان معسكراً للجماعات الجهادية في منطقة الحيمة يستقبل المئات من الشباب (المجاهدين) الذين يتلقون تعاليم الفكر الوهابي والتدريبات الرياضية الشاقة ساعتين يومياً بعد صلاة الفجر ثم يتناولون بعد ذلك وجبة الافطار, اما بعد صلاة الظهر فيتلقون دروساً في العلوم الدينية (الفكر الوهابي). In Sanaa, said local sources to maintain: the camp of the jihadist groups in the region of Alehimp receives hundreds of young people (the mujahideen) who receive the teachings of the Wahhabi ideology and arduous hours of exercise a day, after morning prayers and then eat breakfast, but after the noon prayer lessons catered to the religious sciences (Wahabite thought).
وبحسب مصادر قبلية لـ”التجمع” فإن المعسكر يوفر لـ”المجاهدين” السكن وهو عبارة عن خيم ووجبات غذاء وتتبع ضوابط صارمة اذ يمنع على اعضاء المعسكر الخروج قبل استكمال فترة الدورة الاولى التي تصل الى 21 يوماً ويتضمن برنامج وعمل الدورة الاولى على عملية الفرز للافضل من بين اعضاء الدورة ومدى قدرة الفرد على التحمل والجلد والعيش في ظروف تضاريس صعبة وقارسة, وتشرف على معسكر الحيمة شخصية قيادية سلفية (جهادية) معروفة سبق له وان عمل اماماً وخطيباً لمسجد بحي الصافية بالعاصمة صنعاء. According to tribal sources of the “assembly”, the camp provides for the “mujahideen” housing is a severe food and meals and follow strict controls as to prevent the exit of the camp prior to the completion of the first session of up to 21 days and includes the program and work for the first session on the process of screening for the better between members of the session and the ability of individual endurance, skin and live in conditions of difficult terrain and cold, and overseeing the camp, a leading figure Alehimp Salafi (jihad) is already known that the work of an imam of a mosque preachers and neighborhood net capital Sanaa.
وتقول المصادر: عملية الاستقطاب استهدفت قطاع الشباب دون العشرين ربيعاً ويتم تجميعهم في دار للضيافة يقع في سنحان وهو مجهز بخدمات سكنية وغذائية متميزة حيث يمكث المستقطبون فيه لايام معدودات قبل تسليمهم مستلزمات اولية مثل البطانيات وبدلة رياضية ويتم بعد ذلك نقلهم بحافلة (26 راكباً) الى المعسكر بمنطقة الحيمة إلى الغرب من صنعاء. According to sources: the process of polarization, without targeting the youth sector twenty years old and is assembled in a guesthouse is located in Snhan is equipped housing and food services, where to stay distinct Almstqtabon which handed over a few days before the preliminary requirements, such as blankets, sports jacket and is then transported by bus (26 passengers) to the camp Alehimp area to the west of Sana’a.

This report has really gotten much more accurate in the last five years.

US State Department Report on Human Rights Practices Yemen Summary:

Significant human rights problems persisted. There were limitations on citizens’ ability to change their government due to corruption, fraudulent voter registration, and administrative weakness. There were reports of arbitrary and unlawful killings by government forces, politically motivated disappearances, and torture in many prisons. Prolonged pretrial detention, judicial weakness and fiat, serious corruption, and poor prison conditions were also problems. During the year excessive government force was reportedly used against participants in public demonstrations. Arbitrary arrest and detention and other abuses increased, particularly of individuals with suspected links to the Zaydi Shia al-Houthi movement in and around the northern governorate of Saada and to the series of political demonstrations in Lahj governorate in the southern part of the coutnry.International humanitarian groups estimated that in the summer there were as many as 75,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) as a result of the Saada conflict. By the end of the year, about 6,000 persons were living in refugee camps in Saada. Academic freedom was restricted. Restrictions on freedom of speech, the press, and peaceful assembly increased, and harassment and intimidation of journalists and oppositionists continued. Pervasive and significant discrimination against women continued to occur, as did child labor and child trafficking. The right of workers to associate was also restricted.

Its very good. They nailed it. Some of what may seem to be under-reporting on the number of people killed or arrested probably results when the USG is unable to verify the reporting, and not a deliberate error as some habitually suggest. This is why its important to document abuses with dates, names and places, not poetry.

The law prohibits arbitrary arrest and detention; however, the government generally did not observe these prohibitions. Enforcement of the law was irregular and in some cases, particularly those involving suspected security offenses, was nonexistent. Ouch!

The True, Sad and Bizarre:

-Other unauthorized private prisons reportedly existed at the National Drug Company, the Yemen Television Corporation, the MOI, and the Ministry of Religious Guidance.

-According to HRW, among those released in August are former mediation committee member Shaikh Salih al-Wajman, who had been jailed at the MOI for two years…

-In June 2007 the government suspended the text message news service sponsored by Women Journalists Without Chains (WJWC). The head of WJWC, Tawwakul Karman, unsuccessfully appealed the decision. The government instead suspended all text message news services, eventually restoring all except those of WJWC and the Islah-affiliated Nass Mobile Service. Karman staged sit-ins throughout the summer of 2007 in an attempt to overturn the ruling.At year’s end WJWC’s news text message service remained suspended, despite a parliamentary order allowing it to be reestablished, according to WJWC.

-There were no new government cloned newspapers during the year.

-On March 30, a sit-in in Dhale’ of more than 200 young men protesting the lack of acceptance of southerners into military service was broken up by security authorities with live bullets and tear gas.

-(This is a first for the report I think.) After the 1994 civil war, the northern government forced thousands of southern military and civilian officials to retire. These individuals have continued to demand reintegration compensation and other redress and were especially active in 2007. Their movement expanded throughout the year with significant southern political support.

- The MSAL also refused to register Women Journalists Without Chains (WJWC) or HOOD, both NGOS that were often critical of the government.

-Unlike the four previous years, the government allowed the people of Saada to celebrate Ghadeer Day, a holiday celebrated by some Shia. However, media outlets reported that government officials used the occasion to arrest individuals allegedly associated with the Houthis.

-(This has been irking me since 2005. Somethings are hard to wrap your head around as an American, forced conversion among them.) The government also… reassigned some imams who were thought to espouse Shia ideology or Zaydi doctrine, replacing them with Shafi’i or Salafi preachers—There were credible reports that authorities banned publishing of some materials that promoted Zaydi-Shiite Islam. (But but but, President Saleh is a Zaidi! I’m joking, people used to tell me the targeting of Hashemites was impossible becasue Saleh is a Zaidi.)

-Local NGOs also alleged that deceased citizens were registered as voters.

-The headquarters of the Union for Popular Forces was seized by armed men and the party was forcibly recreated under dubious circumstances.

-Many government officials received salaries for jobs they did not perform or multiple salaries for the same job.

-The rape victim was often prosecuted on charges of fornication after the perpetrator was set free…According to the law, a woman may not refuse sexual relations with her husband; accordingly, spousal rape is not criminalized.

-The MOHR announced in April 2007 it was launching a nationwide hotline to receive complaints on abuses of human rights; it was unclear how many domestic violence cases the MOHR hotline received. Hotline service was interrupted due to technical difficulties.

-(Exactly!) The MOI and PSO tolerated and unofficially facilitated prostitution and sex tourism through corruption for financial and operational gain.

-Most women had little access to basic health care.

-The government lacked the political will and necessary resources to ensure adequate education, health care, and welfare services for children.

-Women’s groups reported FGM rates as high as 90 percent in some coastal areas, such as Mahara and Hodeida

-Two inflammatory government newspapers, Al Dostor and Akhbar Al Youm, continuously published propaganda for the purpose of slander and incitement to discrimination or violence.

- CHF 2007 estimated that approximately 52 percent of male children between the ages of 10 and 14 were in the workforce, compared to 48 percent of female children in the same age group.

-Local observers reported that half or more of the fighters involved in armed conflict between the al-Osaimat and Harf Sufian tribes in Amran governorate, which broke out in November, were boys ranging from 12 to 15 years of age.

Really a good report, comprehensive and accurate.

If I was going to pick, the only thing I could say is the internet section could have been a little more detailed. There’s over 40 blocked political websites and many online journalists harrassed. The following is not entirely correct but its the UNHCR’s report: Some IDPs were able to return to their homes, but thousands remained in camps for fear of retaliation from the al-Houthi rebels, according to the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). But all in all, they covered all the topics rather well.

al Motamar

Almotamar.net – The World Bank WB said Monday that it intends to assist Yemen for facing ramifications of the drop in oil prices for enhancement of efforts and orientations of the Yemeni government aimed to diversify sources of national income and lessening dependence on oil revenues.

Vice President of the WB for the Middle East and North Africa Daniela Gressani, currently on a visit to Yemen, said there is a steady progress Yemen has achieved in implementation of reforms. Gressani added that the WB has raised the ceiling of the annual support to Yemen to $ 120 million and adopted since the last year to offer all forms of assistance to Yemen in the form of gifts instead of loans in order to support the Yemeni government efforts for encountering the world rise in food prices and facing consequences of the floods disaster that hit governorates of Hadramout and Mahara.

Gressani also praised the level of improvement in the government performance in Yemen especially in regards to carrying out the foreign sources-funded projects. She has also stressed the significance of donors meeting of their commitments to Yemen pertaining to completion of allocations they had pledged at London Donors Conference in November 2006. She revealed that the WB would work for urging donors to speed up completing allocations of their pledges.

On the reasons behind postponement of the 3rd consultative meeting between the Yemeni government and donors, scheduled to be held last Sunday in Sana’a, Ms Gressani said the postponement was imposed by coincidence of its convening with the date of holding an international conference of donors for the reconstruction of Gaza Strip. She added, in a statement to Saba news agency on Monday, the Gulf Cooperation Council GCC states proposed postponing the meeting to a later date in order to secure large attendance. And that has been agreed between the Yemeni government and the donors.

According to the National’s souces in Pakistan, Waheshi replaces Zarchawi. So again, still, there’s that AQ Central tie in to that was so hard for some to fathom. Both UBL and Zawaheri agreed to the promotion. If the reporting is correct, Waheshi is designated to plot attacks, collect funds and coordinate training.

Waheshi doesn’t know he’s a stooge, a strawman, probably being set up for assassination. The Yemeni regime, which knows where he is curently, is going to kill him sooner or later and Saleh will be a hero. Maybe some attacks prior against western or Saudi targets, but not the LNG. The West will claim it as a victory, another AQ number 2 bites the dust. Everyone will be happy, something similiar to the actual story of al Harithy, and no still witnesses! Too bad Fawaz al Raibi wasn’t taken alive, he had a lot to say. Where is Abu Bakr these days?

The Nation, PK: PESHAWAR – Abu Nasar Al-Haweshi from Yemen has been nominated as Al-Qaeda’s leader for Gulf Region, The Nation learnt through highly-placed reliable sources on Sunday.

Belonging to Yemen, Abu Nasar Al-Haweshi, also known as Abu Baseer, is active in Al-Qaeda since long. His nomination aimed at filling the office, which had fallen vacant after the death of Abu Zarqavi in Iraq in 2006.

According to the sources, there was no any replacement of Zarqavi since his death. Now both Osama bin Laden and Dr Aiman Al Zawahiri agreed on assigning the task to Abu Nasar Al Haweshi. The assignments of Abu Nasar, beside engineering and plotting, include collection of donation for war from the Gulf region and facilitating the militants in getting training from border areas of Pakistan and Afghanistan.

Abu Nasar was considered fifth amongst leading Al Qaeda commanders like Abu Laith Al Laibi, Abu Zarqavi, Abdullah Kurd and Abdul Hadi. Both Abdul Hadi and Abu Zarqavi were killed in Iraq, Abu Laith Al Laibi in North Waziristan and Abdullah Kurd in Qandahar Afghanistan.

Abu Nasar remained in Duranta training camps during Taliban regime in Afghanistan. He also fought against the Northern Alliance, headed by late Ahmad Shah Mesud in Takhar, Hirat and Bagram regions. He had served Osama bin Laden as his security chief for a couple of months.

During his stay in Afghanistan, Abu Nasar remained very close to both former ministers Maulvi Jalaluddin Haqqani and Mullah Mohammad Hassan Akhund.

They forgot to mention Wahishi was originally sent to Afghanistan by Saleh’s uncle on his mother’s side, Ali Maqasa.

Yemen offers its Perim island for NATO-led anti-piracy fleet
Sanaa, 21 February – As NATO is expanding into the Red Sea and towards the Horn of Africa, the improvised naval and military base in Djibuti is perceived to be insufficient. French sources now revealed that French foreign minister Bernard Kouchner and Yemen’s President Ali Abdullah Saleh agreed to build an artificial port on Yemen’s Perim island, to harbour the international NATO-led naval forces that have been tasked by the United Nations Security Council with future large-scale and enduring anti-piracy missions. The Yemeni Perim island has been chosen for its strategic location at the entrance to the Red Sea between Yemen and Djibouti. Bernard Kouchner is expected to arrive in Djibouti tomorrow for talks with the local government and that of Somalia about a future coordination between their executive forces and the newly to be allocated international anti-piracy mission

(Read on …)

SABA

Hyundai fines PEC $1 .7 million

SANA’A, Feb. 22 (Saba) – The Public Electricity Corporation PEC has paid a fine of $ 1.7 million for the Korean Hyundai Company which is currently implementing the Sana’a-Mareb electricity distribution network, a source at the corporation has confirmed. (Read on …)

There’s not much difference between a nine year old bride and a slave, however in this case the sale of a grown man was documented in a Yemeni court.

News Yemen
Yemen Observatory for Human Rights disclosed a slavery case formally approved in a Yemeni court. The YOHR said a man in Hajja province brought another man for Yr 500,000 in 2000. It said that a court in Hajja governorate documented the slavery case. (Read on …)

The Yemen media in the past has erroneously reported small pox, e-bola and a variety of outbreaks that had much more standard diagnoses when investigated. However the Ministry of Health is little help in these cases.

Yemen Post: Medical sources have said that an alien disease spread among oil company workers in the province of Aden’s Albraiqa district.

A seven case in this month so far was recorded on Thursday.

The disease affects the skin and specific parts of the body, the medical sources said, adding the likelihood of the alien appearance of this disease related to radioactive chemicals.