Armies of Liberation

Oh my, implying security officials had something to do with the embassy attack, tsk tsk.

YEMEN: Website blocked, blogger harassed
Menassat

CAIRO, November 19, 2008 (ANHRI/IFEX) – The Arabic Network for Human Rights Information has strongly condemned the harassment and threats against engineer Nashwan Abdu Ali Ghanim, whose blog on Katib website http://helal08.katib.org is now blocked in Yemen by the state security. The threats and harassment are based on his articles about the consequences of a terrorist operation targeting the U.S. embassy in Yemen, in which he accused certain political and military leaders of being involved in the attacks.

ANHRI denounces the harassment, which violates international laws and conventions, as well as Yemen’s own constitution. ANHRI considers this action a breach of democratic principles, which the regime in Yemen claims to protect, and calls on Yemeni authorities to end the threats against Ghanim and guarantee his safety. The group also demands the immediate withdrawal of troops surrounding Ghanim’s house, the investigation of his case and the immediate unblocking of his blog.

ANHRI reminds the Yemeni authorities of their obligations towards international conventions following their participation in a 2006 donor conference for states adopting democracy. In particular, ANHRI reminds the authorities to respect Article 19 of the Universal Declaration for Human Rights and of the International Convention for Civil and Political Rights, which deals with freedom of expression.

In the same context, ANHRI calls on human rights organizations at the local, regional and international level, as well as donor institutions, to support Ghanim and pressure the Yemeni authorities to guarantee his physical integrity and end persecutions against expression and opinion activists.

I am oddly uninterested in issues five and six of the Echo of Epics magazine and their description of breaching the embassy’s outer perimeter, and before that I was less than fascinated by the forum postings, phone calls, emails, letter bombs, youtube videos, faxes to AFP (heh), and audio recordings among the myriad of prior Yemeni al-Qaeda communications. But this one makes some sense, especially when you factor in the whole thing with al-Qamish, head of the PSO. (But if its from Abu Jindal, and not Abu al-Feida, then maybe its just more yayayayaya.) However I’m off on my own in my view of the configuration of the local, regional and central al-Qaeda network, and there is a substantial compendium of opposing views. There was only one analysis previously, in Newsweek, that advanced the theory that UBL would have had to sign off on the embassy attack, and it was met with some astoundment, but it made sense to me considering the strong historical relationship in Yemen that is missing in Iraq and Thailand and India and so forth. The following is a google translation of the al-Quds al-Arabya article:

Sanaa ‘Arab Jerusalem’ (Al-Quds al-Arybia) from Khalid Al Hammadi: A source close to the leadership of a local organization in Yemen to al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden, his followers implement the largest military operation against the United States far exceed the 11 September (September), aspire to change In the world politically and economically.

He said of the ‘Arab Jerusalem’ that this process will be large in response to Washington’s rejection of the truce by al Qaeda for Western countries led by the United States, and that ‘this process will be implemented in the near future’ and make the September 11 (September) a thing of the past.

The ‘Implementation of this process a matter of time, and the implementation of regulatory orders have been issued by the organization’s leader, Sheikh Osama bin Laden, the timing of implementation remains subject to the completion of the process well prepared and opportunities’.

The ‘Al-Qaeda is currently the best stages, where he became the most powerful level since its inception in number and equipment and training in many countries around the world and it has become systematic and widespread and not confined to elective’.

He cited an example that al Qaeda was currently governing most areas of Somalia, and that the Taliban control most of the territory of Afghanistan, while many of the tribal chieftains in the provinces of Marib and Jawf, Saada and Shabwa in Yemen Bayaoa formal leadership of a local organization in their country, they engaged in the organization out of Ideological and not tribal as in the past.

He pointed out that the al Qaeda-time during the past year pursuit by the security services of Western and Arab training and polarization and horizontal expansion, and the global war on terrorism served the organization unless they serve each other factors, where ‘organization benefited from the mistakes committed by Washington and Arab regimes partners In the war against terrorism to attract all those affected by the global war who were not linked to any organization in advance ‘.

A source who asked not be named for security reasons, a leader of a former al-Qaida and still continues to this day with some of its leadership and Osama bin Laden sent a letter six months ago to all Al-Qaeda cells in the Arab world of refusing to negotiate with the political system, not Feasibility of, the content of ‘Leave it to negotiate with evil regimes’. It was reported that the letter arrived to the leadership of a local organization in Yemen against the backdrop of the Yemeni attempt to open channels of dialogue with al-Qaeda to convince them to cease terrorist operations in Yemen against both Western interests or interests Yemeni-for settlement of their status and their integration into society.

He pointed out that ‘upon the receipt of the letter began the organizational leadership of al Qaeda in Yemen of plotting quality of its operations in Yemen, the first of the latest operations against the U.S. embassy in Sanaa in September (September), after a break of several years’.

He emphasized that the process of planning and directing carried out by the Emir of al-Qaeda in Yemen Nasser Louhichi (Waheshi), one of the most prominent of the 23 escapees from the prison of the Central Agency for Political Security (Intelligence) in Sanaa.

He pointed out that al-Qaeda in Yemen over the past years time to arrange its internal affairs and attracting influential figures in society, particularly those personalities otherwise sharply with the political system, most notably the tribal leaders in the provinces of Marib and Jawf, Saada and Shabwa.

The operations carried out during the past two years against Western interests in Yemen and the government has not implemented al-Qaeda, but al Qaeda in the Peninsula, which now leads the Alqaaiti Hamza, was killed in a confrontation with police a few months ago in the Hadramawt.
He expected to see the Yemeni arena in the coming period of the quality of the base, which Yemeni authorities are trying to mitigate the doubling of its security

This kind of matches the statement phoned in to al-Wasat about Sheikh Latif.

So far they are supposed to be a) some gradutes from Judge al-Hittar’s program, b) three returnees from Iraq and c) from Hodeidah, or according to official statements d) from Hadramout and Marib.

AFP

DUBAI (AFP) — An Al-Qaeda group says seven of its fighters were killed when they attacked the US mission in Yemen in September and also claims an embassy official died in the strike, a US monitoring service reported on Friday.

The Yemen interior ministry had said six Yemeni soldiers, six civilians and six attackers, including one wearing an explosives belt, were killed in the September 17 attack on the highly-fortified US embassy in Sanaa.

The SITE Intelligence Group said an Al-Qaeda in Yemen branch had in an internet posting named the seven “martyrs” and had given a vivid description of how they had had breached the razor-tight security of the embassy in two vehicles.

It said the group comprised scholar and fighter Lutf Muhammad Abu Abdul-Rahman and six of his students.

The group, Al-Qaeda in the South of the Arabian Peninsula, threatened further attacks to deliver a “taste of horrors.”

“So, tighten your guard, increase your security measures for embassies and all dens of the Crusaders,” the group warned.

It also claimed that a US administrative official had died in the clash but that his death was later reported as having been due to a car accident, SITE said in a release.

The US Embassy in Yemen posted a statement on its website saying administrative officer Jeffrey Patneau “died on October 4, 2008 from injuries sustained in a motor vehicle accident in Sanaa … (on) September 29, 2008.

“Recent claims to the contrary … regarding the circumstances of Mr. Patneau’s death are completely false,” it added without elaborating.

At the time of the embassy attack, US President George W. Bush said it was an attempt by extremists to drive the United States out of regions like the Middle East.

Yemen said some days after the incident it was holding six key suspects, including an Islamist militant, Abu Ghaith al-Yamani, who had claimed responsibility for the assault. It said some of those being had links to Al-Qaeda.

In recent months Yemen has seen a series of assaults on security services and oil installations claimed by groups linked to Al-Qaeda.

Experts have said that after being set back by the increased US military presence in Iraq, Islamists are focusing on Yemen as a new territory for their operations.

SANA’A, NewsYemen

Al-Qaeda has unveiled new details about the U.S Embassy attack last September 17 and killing a security officer by a letter bomb in Mareb last October.

The proclamation of the so-called “al-Qaeda in south of the Arab Peninsula” said the attackers were seven, not six as Yemeni authorities have previously announced. It said “the brave attack was carried out by Lutf Mohammad bin Bahr (Abu AbdulRahman) and other six Jihadists who could penetrate the embassy and kill guards of crusaders.”

The proclamation, first posted on al-Qaeda’s website Sada al-Malahim, claimed responsibility for killing the security director in Mareb Mohammad bin Kalan by a letter bomb last October.

It said bin Kalan was killed for offering assistance to Americans to hunt al-Qaeda’s leader in Yemen, Abu Ali al-Harethi, who was killed by a U.S Predator missile strike in Mareb in 2002. It said Kalan also has directly cooperated with the U.S. Embassy in Sana’a in hunting Jihadists in Mareb and al-Jawf.

The proclamation said that a US administrative officer has been possibly killed in the latest attack.

In a statement on Tuesday, the US Embassy in Sana’a denied al-Qaeda claims and said that the administrative officer Jeffrey Patneau, who worked at the Embassy, died on October 4, 2008 from injuries sustained in a motor vehicle accident in Sana’a on September 29, 2008.

“Recent claims to the contrary made in the international press regarding the circumstances of Mr. Patneau’s death are completely false,” said the statement.

And the terrorist media flood (vids, emails, statements, the magazine and a letter bomb) coming out of Yemen continues with the publication of issue 5 and 6 of the Echo of Epics. More to follow:

Memri: Al-Qaeda in Yemen has issued an announcement with new details of the September 17 attack on the U.S. Embassy in San’a, in which six Yemeni soldiers, five civilians, and the terrorists who carried out the attack were killed.

According to the announcement, the terrorists entered embassy grounds in two vehicles equipped with improvised armor, following a gun battle with guards. During the operation, a squad member phoned the organization’s communications unit to announce the success of the attack, even though the embassy was unharmed.

In another announcement, posted on the organization’s website, the organization took responsibility for the October 20 assassination of a Yemenite security agent whom it said collaborated with the U.S. against Al-Qaeda.

Source: Al-Hayat, London, November 10, 2008

They have their own website? I thought they posted to to the forums.

UPDATED: The following article from The Age reports a former senior Yemeni al-Qaeda says that UBL is in the later stages of planning a big attack against the US. A few things in the statement make sense 1) the end of the truce (”the period of calmness”) in Yemen came as a result of an order from bin Laden, not because of agitation from returnees from Iraq, 2) the continuing importance of the original trusted network of Yemenis, 3) bin Laden’s ability to communicate with operatives in Yemen.

With regard to Yemen/Somalia: On April 26, an AQI statement said establishing naval terror cells and control of the seas around Yemen is a “vital step”. The Bab al Mandeb and Gulf of Aden were termed “of supreme strategic importance” in al-Qaeda’s campaign to establish a global caliphate. The April statement highlights Yemeni jihaddists’ prior attacks on the USS Cole and the French tanker Limburg as proof the operations are possible. Since then dozens of ships have been attacked and 31 others highjacked for ransom. Several millions have been paid. The footprint of criminal gangs, enterprises and persons strongly intersects with al-Qaeda all over the globe, and this may be another example where criminal proceeds wind up in part funding terror. More of the April statement here. Within Somalia itself, the ICU and later al-Shahab were aided in large part with money, fighters and weapons shipped from Yemen. Then there’s Dijabouti, global oil shipments, it goes on.

The former “senior” leader who gave the statement would refer to one with connections dating back to the Afghan days. My first guess would be Abu al-Fida. He’s a very chatty guy, has given many prior interviews and was most definitely top echelon. He was in an executive position and there’s photos of him sitting with UBL. Now he is reformed (thank you Judge al-Hittar) and free in Yemen. Al-Fida was the prime negotiator for paroled al-Qaeda operatives with Yemeni president Saleh and Galib al-Qamish, head of Political Security. Al-Fida previously described the truce period that started in 2003 as centrally ordered by bin Laden and a strategic central decision. (Many Afghan Arabs describe it that way.) Al-Fida in February 2008 reported the line of sucession in al-Qaeda would pass to bin Laden’s son, Hamza, seemingly an officially sanctioned statement on behalf of the terror leadership. (Abu Jindal, Mr. Jihad Think Tank, on the other hand while a former close associate of UBL was not “senior”; he was a driver. Jindal has given some interviews through the years, but unlike al-Fida, he was never speaking on behalf of AQI. They were always Jindal’s interpretations.)

While Nasser al-Wahishi (Afghan Arab, UBL associate and prison escapee) is likely one of the “current chiefs of the organisation in Yemen” referenced in the article, he is only one. Escapee Qasim al-Reimi and Saudi Mohammed Naif al-Khatani could be considered current cheifs. There’s others in the leadership nexus outside al-Wahishi’s particular grouping, which doesn’t mean they are working at cross purposes.

To clarify my point, there’s been a marked uptick in terrorist media releases coming out of Yemen in the past year. Various groups and persons issued dozens of statements, videos, interviews, threats, emails, forums postings, several issues of a magazine and so on, including a letter bomb. There’s often some discordant note somewhere in these messages. This one just clicked, ie- the statement seems congruent with the paradigm from the very local to the very global with Somalia in between. It contains big answers as well as big questions. I’m not asserting whatsoever the statement is an authentic communication or is grounded in fact, i have no idea. But I’d be happier if it made less sense, if there was no click, because its also talking about an attack on the US. (Read on …)

AP

Yemen identifies attackers in US embassy attack

SAN’A, Yemen (AP) — The suicide squad that assaulted the U.S. embassy in Yemen in September had links to al-Qaida and some even had fought in Iraq, a Yemeni security official said Saturday.

The official added that the United Nations has raised its security level in Yemen in response to terrorist threats.

The six Yemeni men who carried out the Sept. 17 attack against the gates of the U.S. embassy were trained at al-Qaida camps in the southern Yemeni provinces of Hadramut and Marib and three of them had recently returned from Iraq, the official added.

SANA’A, NewsYemen

The Yemeni security forces are hunting suspects in Hodeidah believed to be involved in a terrorist attack on U.S. Embassy in Sana’a last September.

Informed sources said the terrorist cell that carried out attack on the US embassy has links to al-Qaeda in neighboring Saudi Arabia and most suspects are from Hodeidah. This information does not go in line with previous official reports that most of attackers are from Hadramout.

Some members of the Hodeidah cell are among those released after promising to give up Jihadist ideas, said the source.

News Yemen

Empty Quarter

An al Qaeda source told al Wasat by telephone that the assassination of Mohammad Rabeysh Kalan was in retaliantion for the killing of four AQ operatives last year - Ali Doha, Abdul Aziz Jaradat, Naji Jaradat, and Amer Jaridat. The source said that the assassination came as was promised to the family of the martyrs…

The al Qaeda source also gave up the name of the US embassy bomber, “Mahmoud Saad,” but refused to give more details. The article reaffirms that the al Qaeda cell which attacked the embassy was actually from Hodeidah, and includes the prominent jihadist”Sheikh Latif.”

then there was the one who made the gun busts….

MAREB, NewsYemen

Security director of Medghal district in Mareb, Mohammad bin Rabesh, was reportedly killed on Monday an explosive parcel sent to him from Sana’a.

A soldier was also said to be injured in the explosion.

Security authorities said that Rabesh died at a hospital in Sana’a due to the explosive substance used in a parcel, the first operation of its kind in Yemen.

This came after a month of terrorist attack on U.S Embassy in Sana’a that killed six security guards and other Yemeni nationals.

Yemen Times

Indefinite adjournment of sentence of Elbaneh gang case

The Appeals Penal Court, specialized in terror cases, has adjourned the hearing in which it will deliver its ruling on the case of 36 al-Qaeda suspects including Jaber A. Elbaneh, one of the most wanted criminals by the US.

The newsyemen.net reported that the adjournment of sentence is indefinite and came because the court head is traveling abroad.

The suspects are charged with forming an armed gang to carry out criminal acts including the attacks on oil facilities in Marib and Hadramout provinces in September, 2006.

(Read on …)

Bizarro world, does anyone anywhere believe this? (Besides the leftards I mean.)

SANA’A, Oct 09 (Saba) – Investigations continue with the members of a terrorist cell recently held and that as the police say affiliated with the Islamic Jihad Group and has ties with Israeli intelligence systems.

Initial investigations confirmed that the Israeli intelligence system provided support to the cell to carry out terrorist acts in the country.

Detailed information on the dismantled cell would be announced as investigations are completed.

The security forces announced two days ago they had seized a six-member terror cell backed by Israel and led by Emad Ali Said al-Rowni” Abul Ghaith” and that threatened to target foreign targets in the country including British, Saudi and Emirates embassies.

A security source noted that during the raid on the cell hide-out, the security forces found some of its equipments among them a laptop with which the security forces found out the deputy head of the cell Basam Abdullah Fadhl al-Haidari was corresponding with an Israeli intelligence authority asking support to carry out terrorist attacks in Yemen.

The source added the case would be referred to prosecution once investigations with the cell members are completed.

On the other hand, a judicial source revealed that almost 60 al-Qaeda suspects would be sent to the Specialized Penal Court before they stand trial on terrorism-related charges.

Yemen has recently rounded up al-Qaeda suspects across the republic amid increasing al-Qaeda claimed attacks on foreign and local targets.

Al-Qaeda claimed responsibility for all the recent attacks in Yemen, the latest was a double car bomb attack on the US embassy which killed at list 16.

update 2: Yemen uncovered a network consisting of 40 Mossad spies using Islam to reach their goals….: Yemen Observer: The network was comprised of 40 people from different Arab nationalities spying for Mossad, the Israeli international intelligence said sources from National and Political Security Units. The members of the espionage network entered Yemen on the premise of conducting business, tourism and even for preaching in mosques. Saleh said that the suspected spies form a terrorism cell that uses also Islam to reach their targets.Members were arrested individually and found to be in possession of detailed maps for sensitive security sites, intelligence telecommunication units and advanced tracking devices.

The six Islamic Jihad members arrested for threatening western embassies after the US embassy attack have ties to Israeli intell, Saleh claims. showing the depth of his committment to finding the guilty parties for sure. Well at least we now know that Emad Ali Saeed al-Rwoni is “Abu al-Gaith al-Miqdad al-Yamani” and another cell member is named Bassam Abdullah Fadhel al-Haidari.

Update: The evidence is letters, I know how accurate correspondence introduced into trial in Yemen can be…

DPA: SANAA: Six militants from the Islamic Jihad organisation arrested by Yemeni police had tried to approach an Israeli intelligence agency for help to carry out terrorist attacks in the Arab state, a security source said yesterday.
The source’s comments come one day after Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh said Yemeni police had dismantled a terrorist cell five days ago that was linked to Israeli intelligence services.
The unnamed source told the official Saba news agency that police had seized “written communications between the cell’s second-in-command Bassam Abdullah al-Haidari, and an Israeli intelligence agency, in which he asked for support to carry out terrorist acts inside Yemen.”
The source said the cell was dismantled in September after its alleged leader, Emad Ali al-Rawni, alias Abu al-Ghaith al-Yamani, issued two statements claiming responsibility for the car bombing outside the US embassy on September 17, which killed 18 people.
The source did not clarify whether the discrepancy in dates, or if the two cells were the same.
Abu al-Ghaith, who signed the statements as the leader of the Islamic Jihad Organisation in Yemen, threatened more attacks against Arab and Western embassies in Sanaa, including those of Britain and Saudi Arabia. - DPA

Almotamar.net,Saba - Investigations with the six-member terrorist cell of “Islamic Jihad” arrested late in September have disclosed an alleged link to Israeli intelligence, a security source said on Tuesday.

The investigations and the computer seized with the cell have revealed of correspondence between the cell’s deputy leader named Bassam Abdullah Fadhel al-Haidari and an intelligence body in Israel, which has been included a support request to implement terrorist acts inside Yemen, according to the source.

Investigations are still underway, the source said, adding that when completion, the case’s file would be sent to justice.

During his meeting with officials and dignitaries in Hadramout governorate, President Ali Abdullah Saleh unearthed last Monday arresting a terrorist cell has links with Israeli intelligence, despite raising a banner for Islam.

The cell included six members led by Emad Ali Saeed al-Rwoni, known as “Abu al-Gaith al-Miqdad al-Yamani”. It has sent several threatening letters of targeting Arab and foreign embassies in Yemen such as embassies of Britain Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates.

The cell has been arrested after a terrorist attack on the U.S. embassy on Wednesday September 17, when a twin car bomb has rocked the US embassy in Sana’a killing 16 people including seven of troops guarding the embassy and four civilians and six attackers. The civilians included two Yemenis, an Indian women and a US citizen from a Yemeni origin.

Related, Iranian spies: MEMRI

In Yemen, Trial Of Three Accused Of Forming Iran Spy Network Begins

The Kuwaiti daily Al-Siyassa reports that the trial of three Yemenites accused of establishing a network for spying for Iran and of planning to harm vital Yemeni interests will be brought to court for their first day of trial today. Source: Al-Siyassa, Kuwait, October 7, 2008

YemenTimes

SANA’A, Oct. 5 — The initial findings of an investigation into the attack on the American embassy in Sana’a last month have indicated that two Al-Qaeda members were among the six attackers killed during the incident, and that one of them was Qasem Al-Raimi who had escaped from political prison in Sana’a in 2006, according to information received by the Yemen Times.

The findings, not confirmed by an official source, maintained that Qasem Al-Raimi, a wanted member of the Al-Qaeda shura council in Yemen, was among the armed group that targeted the American embassy with two cars including a car bomb, killing seven security men and five civilians including a Yemeni girl holding the American citizenship last month.

Al-Raimi, 30, is considered to be the last among three Al-Qaeda affiliates on a list of the 23 men who escaped from political prison in February 2006. The other two are Nasser Al-Wahshi, 31, commander of the Al-Qaeda in Yemen, and Ibrahim Huaidi, 25.

The other 20 men on the list have reportedly either surrendered themselves to government authorities or been killed by Yemeni security apparatuses.

Abdul Elah Haidar, a writer who specializes in affairs of terrorism, considered this information about the identity of the attackers to be incorrect as the attackers were “new personalities who the FBI was not able to identify”. He added, “If there had been any Al-Qaeda leaders among the attackers, it would have been announced earlier.”

(Read on …)

Otay. The same guy who said the US blew the USS Cole….

Yemen Observer

President Saleh revealed on Monday that security forces in Yemen caught an espionage network for Israel made up of Arab nationals. This announcement came during his speech in front of MP’s, Shura Council members, local council members, scholars and military and security leaders at Hadhramout University.

According to the president the suspected spies will be brought before the courts shortly in a public trial after investigations are complete.

The network was comprised of 40 people from different Arab nationalities spying for Mossad, the Israeli international intelligence said sources from National and Political Security Units. The members of the espionage network entered Yemen on the premise of conducting business, tourism and even for preaching in mosques. Saleh said that the suspected spies form a terrorism cell that uses also Islam to reach their targets.Members were arrested individually and found to be in possession of detailed maps for sensitive security sites, intelligence telecommunication units and advanced tracking devices.

He called on the political parties and local councils to cooperate with the security forces to combat terrorism and to reject this phenomenon and guard against its spread in Yemeni society.

” Religious scholars of Hadhramout were the ones who spread the word of peace of Islam to the East and South Asia and were ahead of everyone that is why we do not want to Hadhramout to be a center for terrorists and terrorism,” said Saleh.

President Saleh said that Yemenis at large denounce all acts of terrorism that harms the country in all aspects and facets of life and that these terrorists want only to defame and distort the image of Yemen

President Saleh said that the terrorists do not know what they want and have no political agenda that can make the government dialogue with them. They only have hatred against Yemen at large hatred against children, women, old people not only against the government and its leadership, Saleh added.

AFP
SANAA (AFP) — Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh announced on Monday the dismantling of a “terrorist cell” which he said was linked to Israeli intelligence services.

“A terrorist cell was arrested five days ago and will be referred to the judicial authorities for its links with the Israeli intelligence services,” Saleh was quoted as saying by the official Saba news agency.

He said the group operated under the “slogan of Islam.”

The Yemeni president made the statement during a meeting with politicians, security and military officials, and tribal leaders at Al-Mukalla University in the eastern province of Hadramawt.

Saleh did not say how many people were arrested nor give details on their alleged links to Israeli intelligence.

(Read on …)

And on it goes. M&C:

Sana’a, Yemen - Three powerful explosions shook three police buildings late Tuesday in the southern Yemeni city of Zunjubar, but no casualties were reported.

Witnesses told Deutsche Presse-Agentur dpa that two explosions were heard outside the compound of the Central Police force in the city, about 60 kilometres east of the southern port city of Aden.

The third blast hit the headquarters of the Criminal Police agency, they said, adding that the blast might have been the result of projectiles fired at the buildings.

A local journalist at the scene said that ambulances rushed to the scene of the third blast, but no confirmed reports on casualties were immediately available.

Zunjubar is near Ja’ar city, the stronghold of Jihadi groups in Yemen, which sits on the southern tip of the Arabian peninsula.

On August 30, police arrested Khaled Abdulnabi, a leading figure in the Islamic Jihad movement in Ja’ar, amid a clampdown on militant groups.

Security forces have since been pursuing five militants connected to bombings that targeted local government and police buildings in Abyan.

Police in Abyan have arrested 40 militants in a clampdown on militant groups last month in the rugged mountainous area of Hatat near Ja’ar.

This article is from the year 2000. I hadn’t seen it before so I need to throw it somewhere. The letter is an allegation and was never turned over.

NYT

One of the suicide bombers who attacked the destroyer Cole in the Yemeni port of Aden last year had been arrested — and released — just 17 months earlier by Yemeni authorities on charges of conspiring to kidnap Americans working in Yemen.

The suspect, Hassan Said Awadh Khemeri, a Yemeni who had trained at a terrorist camp in Afghanistan run by Osama bin Laden, was one of several suspects in the Cole attack who had been arrested in prior cases but released, according to interviews with officials in Yemen and the United States.

These interviews suggest that Yemeni authorities knew more about the men who attacked the Cole than they have acknowledged, and that they failed to scrutinize the ties of men long suspected of extremist activity.

American law enforcement officials complain that Yemeni officials have withheld information about the Cole plot from the United States. Indeed, several American investigators suspect that some Yemeni government officials knew about the attack before it was launched on Oct. 12 last year.

One Yemeni official familiar with his country’s investigation has charged that crucial evidence that he says links Osama bin Laden and Al Qaeda to the bombing has never been turned over to the F.B.I.

The evidence cited by the official included a letter believed to have been written by Mr. bin Laden and found in the house of one of the suspected Cole plotters in Yemen. It could provide the firmest link yet between Al Qaeda and the bombing, which killed 17 American sailors. (Read on …)

I dont think so personally but its early. Somalia is an interesting thought. And not necessarily someone released from jail recently. These things do take a bit of time. The article makes the point that its the largest attack on a US facility since 9/11.

Deadly Training Ground
Are Al Qaeda fighters returning home from Iraq to launch new attacks against U.S. targets?

Michael Isikoff and Mark Hosenball
NEWSWEEK
Published Sep 17, 2008 | Updated: 6:32 p.m. ET Sep 17, 2008
The car bombing outside the U.S. Embassy in Yemen, which killed 16 people Wednesday, is the deadliest single terrorist attack on a U.S. government facility since September 11—and, say U.S. counter-terrorism officials, it is a powerful reminder that Al Qaeda and its allies remain a lethal force on the Arabian Peninsula.

No Americans were hurt in the early morning attack in which militants—armed with AK-47s and rocket propelled grenades—sought to penetrate the heavily fortified compound that surrounds the U.S. Embassy in Sana. But a subsequent gun battle with Yemeni security forces and an explosion set off minutes later by suicide bombers, killed more people than any terror attack aimed at a U.S. government or military installation outside Iraq and Afghanistan in recent years, U.S. officials said.

“The answer is yes. This is the largest attack against a U.S. facility since 9/11,” a U.S. counter-terrorism official (who asked not to identified by name) e-mailed NEWSWEEK in response to questions. That grim milestone could undercut claims of overall success in the war on terror. Indeed, Yemen—as much as Pakistan and Afghanistan—remains a country where U.S. counter-terrorism efforts have been hampered by repeated setbacks.

(Read on …)

Al-Motamar

Almotamar.net - Deputy Premier for Defence and Security Affairs Dr Rashad al-Alimi affirmed Thursday that the terrorist operation that attempted the attack on the American embassy in Sana’a comes as reaction to and retaliatory operations especially after the blows received by the terrorist elements at the hands of the security apparatuses.

Al-Alimi said were it not for the wakefulness of security men, their bravery and ability to end up the terrorists and blasting their car bombs a disaster could have happened. He pointed out that most of the attacking terrorists were carrying explosive belts and they used large quantities of gas cylinders to create a huge explosive and destructive power.
The terrorist attack on the American embassy in Yemen led to the death of 6 security men in addition to three wounded. according to 26 September newspaper in its Thursday issue it said among the civilian people killed in the incident were a Yemeni man and a woman , an Iraqi man and an Indian woman.

NYT: The official also said that an initial review of security videotapes taken outside the embassy indicated that as many as three of the attackers were wearing suicide vests, another hallmark of Al Qaeda. Two attackers detonated or partially detonated their vests; a third attacker was shot by Yemeni security forces before he could blow himself up.

Statement - Attack on U.S. Embassy, Sana’a

September 17, 2008

This morning, September 17, at approximately 9:15 local time, the U.S. Embassy in Sana’a Yemen was attacked by armed terrorists. A number of explosions occurred in the vicinity of the Embassy’s main gate and there were several secondary explosions. A number of Yemeni security personnel were killed and injured, as were several Yemeni citizens waiting to gain entry to the Embassy.

The U.S. Embassy condemns this attack in the strongest possible terms. Today’s events demonstrate that terrorist criminals will not hesitate to kill innocent citizens and those charged with protecting them in pursuit of their agenda of terror.

The Embassy is working closely with senior Yemeni government officials to investigate this incident. We will rely on continued close cooperation with Yemeni authorities to complete a thorough investigation and to bring the perpetrators of this heinous terrorist crime to justice.

yemen.usembassy.gov

AAC

(AFP)
Yemen Islamists claim Qaeda link, threaten more attacks
The group that claimed responsibility for an attack on the US embassy in Yemen that killed 16 people said on Thursday that it belongs to Al-Qaeda, threatening more attacks against authorities in the region and Western interests there.

“We, the Organisation of Islamic Jihad, belonging to the Al-Qaeda network, repeat our demand of (Yemeni President) Ali Abdullah Saleh to free our detained brothers within 48 hours,” said a statement signed by self-described leader Abu Ghaith al-Yamani.

The statement, whose authenticity could not be confirmed, warned that the Yemeni authorities would open themselves up to grave consequences if they did not comply.

It also said the group would continue attacks “against Western interests” and Yemeni public figures, and threatened to attack the Saudi embassy in Sanaa.

The family of Susan Ali Elbaneh, a US citizen, confirmed she was killed today in the terrorist attack in Yemen. The 19 year old Yemeni-American was one of the civilians killed outside the embassy during the attack. The newlywed Elbaneh was killed alongside her husband of two months, a family member reported. Susan Elbaneh is a relative of Yemeni-American Jaber Elbaneh who is on the FBI’s most wanted list. Yemen has refused to extradite him. There are no indications that Ms. Elbaneh’s presence at the embassy was anything more than a random occurrence. She accompanied her sister in law who had an appointment with the embassy. A Yemeni American child aged three, Ms. Elbaneh’s nephew, may also be among the casualties. Ms. Elabaneh was outside watching the boy while her sister-in- law was in the embassy.

Its a bitter irony that the terrorists achieved their goal of killing “Americans” and it turns out to be this 19 year old Yemeni-american girl on her first trip to Yemen and a three year old.

Ok it hit-

Yahoo: SSusan Elbaneh, 18, a U.S. citizen from Lackawanna, N.Y., who was recently wed in Yemen in an arranged marriage, was killed along with her Yemeni husband as they stood outside the embassy, family members said Wednesday. They were apparently there to do paperwork for the husband’s move to the U.S. when the attackers struck, said Elbaneh’s brother, Ahmed.

Elbaneh’s family was gathering at her father Ali’s house Wednesday afternoon.

Two FBI agents who arrived to speak with family members at the home would not comment beyond saying they were there to talk to the family.

Relatives acknowledged, however, that Susan Elbaneh is related to Jaber Elbaneh, who is in custody in Yemen and faces U.S. charges of providing material support to a foreign terrorist organization. They stressed that had nothing to do with Susan, saying she was an innocent victim of Wednesday’s attack.

Elbaneh, a high school senior, was among eight children in the family, which her brother described as “huge and close-knit.” Ahmed Elbaneh said she planned to return to New York with her new husband, finish school and become a nurse.

She had been in Yemen for a month for the marriage on Aug. 25.

“She was excited. We threw her a shower. It wasn’t like we were worried about anything. Tragedies happen. They are innocent victims in all of this,” Ahmed Elbaneh said.

More

(Sanaa, Yemen) A group called Islamic Jihad in Yemen has taken responsibility for a powerful car bomb exploding about 2:15 AM ET outside the gate of the U.S. Embassy in the capital of Sanaa. Multiple casualties have been reported.

Two cars were involved with the attack, Yemeni officials said. The first contained people in police uniforms who exchanged fire with Yemeni security forces, the officials said.

The second car exploded after it passed an outermost gate to the Embassy but before it reached a second protective barrier, the officials said.

Notably, Yemen is the ancestral home of Osama bin Laden and the U.S. Embassy has previously been targeted for attacks.

Update 16 dead including 6 attackers, no US injuries.

US embassy in Yemen: First gunfire, then explosions may be car bombs or mortar attacks.

Yemeni embassy in US: two cars packed with explosives, and one of the dead attackers wearing suicide vest.

Update 2: Car bomb, 20 minute firefight, more explosions

Yemen Observer: Attempt by terrorists to break into the American embassy was foiled. The incident happened at nine o’clock am Wednesday when an explosive-laden car exploded 100 meter from the American Embassy Premises. A few seconds later, a firefight broke out between security officers and terrorists using machine guns, RPGs and hand grenades. The battle with the terrorists resulted in the death of six police officers who were defending the American Embassy and the injury of a number of officers some of whom are in critical conditions, said security sources. Four other civilian guards of the Embassy were killed in the attack. The 20-minute battle with the terrorists resulted in the death of all terrorists that were around six including the suicide bomber.

Almotamar.net - Eyewitnesses said Wednesday morning that a car bomb exploded nearby the American embassy building in Sana’a before resounding of several consecutive explosions were heard and followed with eruption of fire near the gate of the embassy building. While information is not officially confirmed eyewitnesses told almotamar.net correspondent that an exchange of gunfire happened after the exp0losion.

The last time we heard from Yemeni Islamic Jihad was last month when they claimed credit for a suicide car bombing in Hadramout, and threatened a future attack in the capital.

Prior Suicide Car Bombings, Yemen

September 2006 synchronized attacks on oil facilities in Marib and Hadramout
July 2007 car bombing at tourist facility in Marib killed eight Spanish tourists
July 2008 car bombing a police station in Sayoun Hadrmaout, one killed and 18 wounded

Early in 2008, mortar attacks were launched in Sana’a against western targets including the US embassy, Italian embassy and a western housing complex. After the July 2008 suicide bombing killed one policeman and injured 18 in Sayoun in the southeastern province of Hadramout, authorities rounded up over fifty suspected militants including AAIA leader Khalid Abdul Nabi and Saudi Muhammad bin Nayif al-Qahtani. After the arrests, Yemen announced that it had thwarted an attack in Saudi Arabia targeting oil industries. For history and analysis of al-Qaeda in Yemen, check my al-Qaeda category.

Gulf Research Center

Al Qaeda in Yemen Divided

In mid 2007, al-Qaeda announced the existence of its branch in Yemen on an Islamist website. Since then, and until recently, most analysts assumed that the al-Qaeda branch in Yemen was a unified organization, with one leadership and one central command. Lately, however, evidence has emerged that points to a possible split within the organization’s Yemen branch. Allegedly, a dispute has developed among the organization’s members concerning the issue of leadership and command structure, besides disagreements over the group’s operational strategy and targeting policy.

The first group - the original or the main group - calling itself al-Qaeda in Yemen or ‘al-Qaeda in the Southern Peninsula’ has been operating under its chosen leader Nasir Abdul-Karim al-Wuhayshi, the 31-year-old from the al Baydha governorate who had spent time in Afghanistan. This group includes a small number of the 23 wanted escapees who broke out of Sana’a political security prison in February 2006. The group is indirectly linked to the top leadership of the al-Qaeda organization based somewhere in Afghanistan or Pakistan.

(Read on …)

AQY isn’t actually a part of al-Qaeda, there is no new generation, just some confused outliers: UBL bodyguard

Gulf news

Sana’a: Al Qaida activists in Yemen do not follow Osama Bin Laden, Nasser Al Bahri, a former bodyguard of Bin Laden, told Gulf News.

The 33-year old Al Bahri, also known as Abu Jandal, joined Al Qaida in 1996 and spent four years in Afghan-istan. He had orders to kill Bin Laden if his boss was on the brink of being captured.

Al Bahri was arrested at Sana’a airport on his way back to Afghanistan, on suspicion of being involved in the suicide bombing of the American destroyer USS Cole in September 2000.

(Read on …)

Plausable

Yemen Post , Local sources in Abyan told the Yemen Post that a key fundamentalist, named Khalid Abdul Nabi, surrendered to security authorities on Friday after an intense exchange of fire between a group of his followers and security forces in Abyan’s Ja’ar city.

The same sources revealed that three security men were wounded in the same operation that led to the arrest of five militants. Eye witnesses declared that Abdul Nabi’s house was seen aflame.

Abdul Nabi, the leader of Aden-Abyan Islamic Army, is accused of being behind several security troubles including violent acts, bombings, etc. His group was behind Hitat kidnapping operation that took place in 1998 when a number of British tourists were killed.

He has been hunted by security authorities for the last five-years and sources indicate that security forces were seeking to arrest Abdul Nabi’s brother, Captain Ahmed.

(Read on …)

The YSB?

SAN’A, Yemen: A Yemeni security official says that recently detained members of al-Qaida have confessed to plans to attack oil facilities in Yemen and Saudi Arabia.

The official says authorities “obtained during interrogation” confessions from 15 militants arrested after a shootout earlier this week in the town of Tarim in Hadramawt province.

The official spoke on condition of anonymity Thursday because he was not authorized to talk to the media.

He says Saudi Interior Minister Prince Nayef bin Abdulaziz was dispatched to Yemen after learning about the confessions. Riyadh did not comment on Nayef’s visit.

The following article says the YSB group was responsible for pretty much all the recent attacks attacks, including the three mortar attacks in Sana’a, the three suicide bombings and the attacks on the Belguin tourists. And makes the point that some predict, “The international community, mainly the US, will approve of government plans to prioritise security rather than democracy.” (furthering the ultimate Talibanization of Yemen)

SANA’A // The killing this week by Yemeni security forces of a key al Qa’eda mastermind will initially sow confusion among the group, but is likely to provoke a violent backlash, an analyst said.

“This operation is a big blow to al Qa’eda and will, of course, invite an angry response from al Qa’eda to retaliate. It is clear now the confrontation between the government and al Qa’eda is open,” said Saeed Thabet, a political analyst who follows Islamist movements.

Yemeni authorities announced on Aug 12 that Hamza al Quaiti, al Qa’eda in Yemen’s number two, was killed along with five other terror suspects in a shoot-out with police the previous day in Tarim, in south-eastern Hadramaut province.

Another two suspected militants were wounded and arrested by police. Two police officers were killed in the clash.

The ministry of interior has blamed Quaiti for masterminding several terror attacks in Yemen in recent months, including four car bomb attacks and an attack on Belgian tourists in Hadramaut on Jan 18 that killed two Belgian women and two Yemeni drivers. The ministry has also accused Quaiti of being behind the US Embassy bombing in March. The attack killed a security guard and wounded 13 students at a nearby school.

(Read on …)

News Yemen: The al-Qaeda in Yemen, Yemen’s Soldiers Brigades, has threatened to revenge for killing five of its operatives and arresting two in clash with security forces two weeks ago in Tarim of southeastern Hadramout province.

In a statement posted by al-ekhlaas.net on Tuesday and attributed to Abu Osama said: “We vow to operate a reprisal operation very soon, if God willing. The news is what you see, not what you hear”. It admitted the murder of its mastermind in Yemen Hamza al-Qaiti and other fellows and claimed that al-Qaeda operatives could kill eight policemen, “not two as Interior Ministry announced.”

The al-Qaeda proclamation denied official statements that it was planning to attack the Shrine of Prophet Hood in Hadramout which Sufis from Yemen and other countries visit every year.

“Regarding a claimed attack on Prophet Hood Shrine, those men of aberration, named as security forces, lied when they alleged that we were planning to attack visitors of the so-called Prophet Hood Shrine. They try to mobilize as many as people against us with such allegations. We live nearby a school of heresies, but we don’t think to kill them because our battle is with a bigger enemy, with Zio-Crusaders, with apostates who defend tyrant,” said the proclamation.

The al-Qaeda in Yemen was noticeably active in last few months and carried out several attacks on foreign and government interests in different areas of Yemen.

The embassy in United States in Sana’a, which was the target of a failed al-Qaeda attack last March, described the security raid in Tarim as “successful”. It hailed Yemeni security forces and said Yemen could depend upon US support, if it progresses in hunting al-Qaeda militants.

Days after killing five militants and arresting others in Tarim, US Embassy announced that the US Department of State allowed non-essential diplomats who left the embassy after March attack to return to Sana’a.

Five members of an al-Qaeda cell were arrested in Qatan district of Hadramout governorate in the south east of Yemen on Monday August 19, said a source at Hadramout governorate security.

The security source affirmed that the police forces could arrest five members of al-Tawheed battalions affiliated to al-Qaeda in Qatan district to the west of Sayon city in Hadramout governorate.

Newsyemen website attributed to a security source that one of the five detained militants fired his machinegun at the police forces when they stormed their hide out but the police could arrest them all without any casualties. However the source has not uncovered the names or identities of the captured militants.

The security sources had announced last Sunday that a large scale hunting down operation was started to capture 35 members of al-Qaeda terrorist cell.

Negotiating with bombs, a predictable result of prior appeasement and collusion
Mareb Press

Al Qaida leader in Yemen threatens to carry out more terrorist attacks

An alleged Al Qaida leader in Yemen threatened this week to carry out more attacks in the country if his brothers were not released from prison. “Your concern is our concern, your sadness is our sadness, you must know, we will never forget you,” said Hamza Al Quaiti in a statement posted on an internet website Tuesday, addressing the men jailed in Yemen on terror charges.

Al Quaiti, one of 23 Al Qaida suspects who broke out of a Sana’a maximum security prison in early 2006.Al Quaiti is believed to be the mastermind of the suicide bombing which targeted the security camp in Sayou, Hadhramout on July 25, killing two and injuring about 20 people. About six men have been arrested so far in Hadhramout in connection with the attack.

The investigations confirmed that Al Qaida was behind that attack and that the suicide bomber was a student in his third year at the college of medicine in Hadhramout. His name is Ahmad Saeed Al Mashjari and his alias is Abu Dujanah Al Hathrami. The investigations have shown that he disappeared from his family 20 days before implementing the suicide bombing operation on July 25.

The latest Al Qaida operations in Yemen coincide with remarkable fatwas published throughout the internet and attributed to Al Qaida members. The fatwas permit the killing of Muslims and striking their oil resources.

The justification, the fatwas say, is that the oil is feeding the enemies, crusaders and the Muslims being killed are cooperating with the enemy. Meanwhile, security authorities have arrested about 30 men wanted for various terrorist acts over the last few days in the southern province of Abyan, according to security sources yesterday.