Updated: Western Media Using Yemeni Government Employees as Correspondents
Journalist, Abdullah Shaya, who conducted the recent interview with al Qaeda leaders al Wahishi and al Shihri works for Saba, the official state news agency of Yemen, in the research department. Shaya on full salary, not a part timer, with SABA.
NYT: A Yemeni journalist who interviewed Al Qaeda’s leaders in Yemen last year, Abdulela Shaya, confirmed Thursday that the deputy leader was indeed Mr. Shihri, the former Guantánamo detainee. Mr. Shaya, in a phone interview, said Mr. Shihri had described to him his journey from Cuba to Yemen and supplied his Guantanamo detention number, 372.
Abdullah Shaya is also the brother in law of Sheik Abdulmajid al Zindani who is President Saleh’s ally and classified as a terrorist financier by the US Treasury. One of Zindani’s wives is Shaya’s sister. This was a one time sourcing, there’s other more endemic penetration of the western media by regime stooges.
I nearly fell off my chair laughing when I heard FOX news is using Faris al Sanabani as their on the scene contact for Yemeni news. Faris as we recall from the 2005 al Jazeera show, is President Field Marshal Saleh’s media secretary and spokesman who trashed me on air on behalf of Saleh. It was so funny. I think he said I work at night and yes, its now 12:38 am.
Then there’s Hamoud Mansour who is reportedly close to the National Security Office and especially Ahmed Derham. Mansour works at times for AFP and al Arabya.
Reuters and the BBC regularly reply on Mohammed Saddam who is the president’s personal translator. Mohammed Saddam accompanies the president on nearly every trip overseas. Check the Reuters byline and there he is, President Saleh’s personal employee giving you the news.
This is part of the reason the US and western countries are so confused, there’s very little actual reporting from Yemen. A lot of it internally is paid for. Western journalists are accompanied often by “helpers” who guide them and impede honest interviews.
Independent Yemeni international correspondents are regularly harrassed, beaten and threatened by the state. They are also prevented from filming or reaching locations where news is occuring.
Within Yemen, its standard procedure to buy good coverage or the lack of coverage from smaller outlets. Not to mention the official media is its own substantial propaganda machine in print and on the broadcast waves. Then there are those westerners who pull their punches for fear of losing their visas.
Update: As we discussed, Reuters uses Yemen’s President’s personal translator, Mohammed Saddam, as their Yemen correspondent. He has a propensity to report on statements by President Saleh. Saddam’s reporting at Reuters today: Yemen urges tribesmen to turn in Qaeda militants.
Perhaps an unbiased reporter might have covered this story: Yemen Releases 11 al Qaeda Militants.
Wonder how much the Yemeni regime pays Mohammed Saddam, on top of his Reuters pay, for this consistently selective reporting?
Update 2: I forgot to mention that Faris al Sanabani owns the english language Yemen Observer if you’re wondering why things there always looks so rosy.
Update 3: An open source reference on Shaya’s employment at SABA
Shabwa Press
ولكي نثبت للعالم أن علي عبدالله صالح منسق تنسيقا قويا مع القاعدة مع علينا إلا أن نقول لهم أن الصحفي اليمني عبدالإله حيدر شائع الذي يعمل مع وكالة سبأ الحكومية تمكن من مقابلة من يسمون انفسهم بقادة تنظيم القيادة الموحد الجديد في حين تدعي سلطات علي عبدالله صالح أنها عاجزة عن العثور عليهم وإلقاء القبض عليهم. In order to prove to the world that Ali Abdullah Saleh, coordinated with a strong base with us only to tell them that the Yemeni journalist Abdel-Ellah common Haider, who works with the government agency Saba was able to interview those who call themselves leaders of the organization of the new unified command, while the authorities claim they were unable Abdullah Saleh to find them and arrest them.
