Armies of Liberation

Killed while in police custody in Ma’alla

Aden News Agency:

Local sources in Aden – one the largest cities in the south of Yemen- have declared that the political prisoner ( Faris Zeid Abullkareem Tamah ) was killed by the police of Al-Malla’a city in Aden, after being kept there for days, while the circumstances of his death still unknown until this moment. (Read on …)

More buzz on Ali Mohsen from al Wahdawi below the fold. This investigative report from “Saadaonline” is not too surprising:

Ali Mohsen coordinating with al Qaeda in Sa’ada
Salafi leaders integrated directly into the military
Tribal militias and other groups armed by the military
Zaidi mosques handed over to Salafis
Kidnappers were unable to relocate the hostages initally because of Houthi control of many areas and were forced to leave the bodies inside the military controlled Al Jbarah valley
Yemeni government behind the recent declaration of jihad if western troops enter Yemen

Hidden roles between Sanaa regime and al-Qaeda

Special News Saada
20/1/2010

we talk about Saada previously and the hijacking of doctors in
Saada province on the role of a hidden secret and to coordinate with the secret coordination with pro Government:

Especially in the area of Wadi (Valley) Al-Abu Jebara
we talked previously about the history of this valley and where Al Qaedeh fighters training.

Funds, which pumps by Saudi princes and their relationship with Osama bin Laden through private sources, News Saada inside the corridors of military bases and political situation in Saada

During the latest sadah War mostly at Abu Ali font , we got field information that confirm that :ABADAH and TAYS group and other groups from WADY- Valley- Al JBAREH had met with local officials of Sadah and received ammunition and weapons to confront Al Hoothy from behind, and that what really happened .

Those days we got secret and confidential information when news focused on Qaeda in Yemen. The information said that there is currently coordination between military commanders/ eaders loyal to Ali Mohsen Al Ahmar through his office in Saddah, the aim of this coordination is bolstering and unify their actions against Al Hoothy. (Read on …)

Yemen
How worried are you that it could become the next Afghanistan in terms of providing a safe haven for al-Qaeda to launch global attacks.

A number of us have been focused on Yemen for well over two years.
From the time when we were examining how foreign fighters were being trained and then how foreign fighter facilitators were operating who enabled foreign fighters to come into Iraq through Syria and many different roads lead to what was then termed al-Qaeda in Yemen and this past year was franchised by the al-Qaeda senior leadership as al-Qaeda in the Arabia Peninsular. (Read on …)

Amnesty International:

YEMEN ANNOUNCES IT IS HOLDING JOURNALIST

Yemen’s Minister of Information has announced that the Yemeni authorities are holding journalist Muhammad al-Maqalih. However, the authorities are still refusing to give any information about him, including his whereabouts. He is at risk of torture or other ill-treatment.

Muhammad al-Maqalih was abducted on 17 September, by men in civilian clothes, believed to be from the security forces. Eyewitnesses told his family that he was taken by a group of men who arrived in a white minibus, which had its licence plates obscured. In December 2009, the Minister of Information officially announced that the security forces are holding him. It is not clear which security force is holding him or where he is being held, and the reason for his detention is not known. (Read on …)

Yes here we go yet again… An absolutely predictable update: Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) denied that six of its leaders were killed in a Yemeni air strike last week, according to a statement published by the SITE monitoring group on Monday.
“None of the mujahedeen were killed in that unjust and insidious raid; rather, some brothers were slightly wounded,” the Qaeda group said in a statement on jihadist forums, SITE reported.

Original Post: Following Yemen’s announcement that al Qaeda head honcho Qasim al Reimi was killed in an air strike this week along with five others, news is starting to leak out that ooops, maybe not.

Al Reimi had been reported killed in two earlier air strikes but this time the announcement was based on an identification, officials said. Security sources now say that perhaps it was a “hasty” announcement. Tribal sources say another of the six dead men was recently spotted eating lunch with his family, and al Reimi was wounded in the leg and escaped.

We can call it the al Nabi syndrome, reported dead but still alive. Old habits die hard. At best, now we’re back to “maybe al Reimi is dead,” and “maybe the Yemeni government told the truth about al Qaeda for once.” Wait and see mode.

Its hard to say what’s up, really. There were six bodies recovered including al Reimi, the Yemeni officials said. Ah, even I’m doing it now, quoting them like they have a shred of credibility.

Meanwhile the Yemeni journalists are getting smashed (run-over, imprisoned, fined and kidnapped) without a word from the West and/or the hundreds of foreign journalists who recently discovered Yemen. Even for the open source intel value alone, you think someone would make a peep. I knew something was up today when several Yemeni news sites were mysteriously offline.

(Read on …)

That’s some good targeting right there, if it turns out to be true. Two cars, no civilians, direct hit. Ammar Al Waeli? Fascinating. Update: They are “almost certain” al Reimi was killed. Also: Mr. Ayman was an Egyptian jihadist who had arranged many suicide bombings in Afghanistan, the official said. He had moved in and out of Yemen recently, and has been on Yemen’s most-wanted list for years… Another man targeted in the raid was known to have escaped, the official said: Ammar al-Waeli, an important arms dealer for Al Qaeda.

Update 2: Almotamar.net The ministry said the killed terrorists are Qassim al-Raimy, Ammar Abadah al-Waili, Saleh al-Tais, Ayedh Jaber al-Shabwani and Ibrahim Mohammed Saleh al-Banaa.
(Read on …)

The PSO is one of President Saleh’s main instruments of terror and intimidation of civil society, journalists and the forces of progress. Lets not forget about the Mohammed al Maqaleh disappeared since August, the closure of al Ayyam and the recent arrest of several of its editors and the continuing detention of Salah Alsagalde, Fuad Rashid, and Ahmed Alzubairi and the continuing ban on several newspapers, and the destruction of News Yemen, and the blocking of dozens of political websites in Yemen (but not the jihaddis ones).

Threats to liquidate the managing editor of Sahwa Net:

إشارة إلى الموضوع أعلاه، فإن مدير تحرير الصحوة نت الزميل محمد العلواني تلقى تهديدات هاتفية بالتصفية الجسدية من الرقم (777128007) من شخص قال بأنه يعمل في الأمن السياسي. A reference to the above subject, the managing editor of Sahwa Net colleague Mohamed al-Alwani, received telephone threats of physical liquidation of the number (777128007) from someone who said that he was working in the Political Security. (Read on …)

Yemen kills a guy no one ever heard of and maybe its legit, but everything coming out of the Yemeni state media and security needs to be taken with a grain or bucket of salt. If its true that al Midhar is a major al Qaeda figure with his own cell, then there’s a lot going on under the radar, considering Wahishi and the three stooges are thought to be the essence of Al Qaeda. Check my timeline Al Qaeda in Yemen Arrests 2002-2009.

SHABWA, Jan. 13 (Saba) – Security forces in Shabwa province have killed one of the major figures of al-Qaeda in Yemen, Interior Ministry announced on Wednesday. (Read on …)

Wow a really good article on the Sa’ada War, Saleh’s relatives commanding security forces and Ali Mohsen al Ahmar’s conduct of the Sa’ada War. It lays the facts out for the obvious conclusion about why the war just won’t end.

Globe and Mail: There have been tens of thousands of casualties and about 100,000 people in Yemen’s northwest triangle are now under siege – trapped by a combined force of the Yemeni regular army on one side, the Republican Guard on another, and Saudi military forces along the border between the two countries.

“They’re trying to starve them out,” said Abdel-Ghani Iryani, a development consultant and political analyst, who says he still can’t figure out what the war against the Huthi is all about. (Read on …)

Yes, the PSO and other Yemeni security agencies are seriously compromised by al Qaeda infiltration. The Saudi intell in Sana’a are working with Prince Ahmed Saleh, who heads the Special Forces and Republican Guard. So far, in the Sa’ada War, Saudi Arabia is helping President Saleh with money, media propaganda, intell on the ground, tanks and other weaponry, fatwas, a naval blockade, arrests and deportations and air support including bombing villages. Meanwhile Saleh, with all due bluster and pomp, hotly rejects external interference or mediation. The article mentions Qamish, head of the PSO, who had the pissing match with al Qaeda cell leader Hamza al Qaiti after a trio of mortar attacks early in 2008. Al Qaiti blamed al Qamish for a double cross (or faulty equpment) when the mortars missed. Al Qaiti was killed shortly thereafter and before the September 2008 attack on the US embassy.

UPI Dec. 15 — Saudi Arabia’s intelligence service has established a station in Yemen’s capital ostensibly to help coordinate a joint campaign against northern Shiite rebels along the kingdom’s border.

But its main task is understood to be hunting down the Yemen-based operatives of a resurgent al-Qaida that threatens the Saudi monarchy, and eliminating them with extreme prejudice…The Saudi General Intelligence Presidency, the kingdom’s principal intelligence agency, set up its Sanaa operation in June following talks between King Abdallah and Yemen’s president, Ali Abdullah Saleh, who has been in power for 40 years. (Read on …)

The report is here.

SANA’A, Dec. 16 (Saba)- The state spokesman, Minister of Information Hasan al-Lawzi condemned Wednesday the incorrect information issued by Human Rights Watch (HRW) over human rights and press freedom in Yemen.

The spokesman said in remarks to Saba that these information are based on false reports on human rights and the freedom of press in the country… Al-Lawzi put responsibility on the HRW two representatives to correct the situation so as not to affect cooperation relations between Yemen and the Human Rights Watch in the future.

This poor guy, who has the misfortune of being named Abdullah al Reimi, was picked up nearly two years ago in a case of mistaken identity. The Yemeni official media made the standard announcements (big al Qaeda arrest!) and the wires picked up it, but within days it was proven that it was the wrong guy. He’s finally getting out. The whereabouts of the real Abdullah al Reimi are unknown, last we heard he was in Dhamar preaching violent jihad at a mosque but that was years ago. The original reports on all of the above are on the site somewhere.

al Masdar

أفرج جهاز الأمن السياسي بصنعاء أمس الثلاثاء عن عبدالله غازي الريمي بعد اعتقاله “بالخطأ” لقرابة عاميـن نتيجة تشابه اسمه مع أحد المطلوبيـن أمنياً. Released the Political Security in Sana’a on Tuesday Ghazi Abdullah al-Rimi after he was arrested “by mistake” for nearly two years as similarity of his name with one of the wanted men. (Read on …)

Several outlets and other sources are reporting the murder of former President Ali Nasser Mohammed’s nephew in a cold blooded assassination, story here at Aden Press. Clearly both retribution and a tactic of intimidation.

Corporal Fawaz Abdullah Ali Khaled Alkamali was killed on November 28th, about 70 KM south of Ataq on the road to Aden as he was en route to Taiz for Eid. The attackers stopped his taxi and searched the passengers for ID cards. When they discovered Alkamali was a northerner soldier, they dragged him out of the taxi an killed him. The killers sent a warning to the government with the passengers that the “southerners will no longer be quiet for the numerous murders committed by the government against our protesters.”

On the 29th two brothers driving to Aden from Sanaa were stopped near Al Habilain and shot dead by an unidentified group. Their car and possessions stolen.

On the 29th, a family driving from Taiz to Aden was stopped in Al-Milah, Lahj. The father was killed as his wife and his children watched. The attackers were identified as members of the pro-regime vigilant group, the Committee to Protect Unity, responsible for numerous attacks including against the delivery van of Al-Ayyam newspaper on May 1, 2009. (The head of the CPU was received by President Ali Abdullah Saleh on May 29th 2009 in Sana’a.)

On November 30th, several northern tribes set up check points on the road from Aden to Sanaa to avenge the killings of tribal members by targeting southerners destined for Sana’a from Aden. The tribes included the Al-Radama Tribe in Ibb, the Mourees Tribe in Qataba, and the Anss in Dhamar.

The last few months have seen an increase in northern soldiers’ desertions from southern postings. Soldiers may fear redeployment to Sa’ada, or targeting at their posts as instability increases. Rumors of a coup in Sana’a a few weeks ago may have added to the soldiers insecurity. Oil and gas Facilities are among the Saleh’s regimes most vital installations requiring military protection, further stretching available forces.

ADEN, Yemen, Nov 30 (Reuters) – Yemeni security forces spread out across the southern port city of Aden on Monday, clamping down on any display of secessionist sentiment on the anniversary of the south’s independence from Britain. (Read on …)

The Republican Guard is headed by President Saleh’s son, Prince Ahmed. Who could al Beidh be referring to as “a leading member of the ruling regime”, certainly not Ali al Ansi, President Saleh’s personal secretary since 1982 and former head of the National Security. The general consensus among the western secure-ocrats is the subversion by al Qaeda doesn’t go that high in the Yemeni adminstration. I really hope they are right because if they’re wrong, its a whole differant ball game. As an aside, sometimes when Yemenis say al Qaeda (real al Qaeda) are members of the security, they mean that the terrorsts receive officer’s pay from a particular branch of the security forces or military.

Gulf News

Some reports spoke of an increasing presence of Al Qaida in the south? How do you see this dangerous trend?

I have already spoken about this issue and said that the Sana’a regime will play this card too to distort the image of the peaceful movement in the south, which has nothing to do with Al Qaida whatsoever. I hereby stress that the south has never been a land that would tolerate an ideology such as Al Qaida’s. On the contrary, this terror network has built a strong alliance with the regime in Sana’a, engineered and supervised by a leading member of the ruling regime. This is known by regional states, Egypt and the United States. I don’t exaggerate when I say that some leaders of Al Qaida are in fact officers in the Republican Guard. (Read on …)

Two more Saudi soldiers killed. Over 400 Saudi villages evacuated and reports emerge from regime of Pakistani (?) fighters with the Houthis. Abdullah al Houthi arrested inside SA, amid reports the rebels are intercepting Saudi communications. A bunch of arrests but longtime commander Yousef al Madani got away. Saudis still bombing miles inside Yemen.

Expat Southern leaders can’t get it together. Al Beidh’s Iran idea didn’t go over well, I hope. Its not a good idea at all. Regime accuses al Fadhli of mobilizing his
fighters. The movement is more fractured than ever. YP reports it was “Samih Ahmed Awadh Al-Halbeh one of Sami Diyan’s group who was caught at Hardh area while he was trying to escape outside the Yemeni territories.”

The murky story of the three assassinated security chiefs continues with Hadhramout tribes holding a meeting Monday in Taribah about the killings of the 3 security officers. They are expected to demand that Sana’a bring the actual killers to justice. The families have the same demand, and the funerals have not taken place yet. One theory is its yet another false flag attack and the killers were assassins paid by powerful and well-connected drug traffickers. Before Ali Salim Al Amri (from Hadramout) was appointed in July 2009, the traffickers had a good working arrangement with the previous security bosses who were northerners. All of which begs the question of Al Qaeda’s claim of responsibility as beautifully demonstrated by the following Yemen Observer write-up: Yemen Observer (Read on …)

Kidnapped September 18th and held incommunicado by security forces after publishing news of a military strike on a refugee camp that killed 87 civilians.

Hamid al Ahmar in an interview on al Jazeera made several interesting statements including that the president is guarded by 60 thousand army personnel in Sanaa, He also disclosed the name of the arms dealer (Yousef Al-Magani) that bought arms for Houthi rebels in the 4th war from Ahmed Ali Abdullah Saleh, head of the republican guard, in a conspiracy to eliminate Ali Mohsen Al-Ahmer. Hamid also dared the president to visit Abyan or Sadaa or stay for 2 months in Aden to prove that he is still the president of the country. Publicly exposing Prince Ahmed this way gives Ali Mohsen the legitimacy to move against him without instigating a vendetta from within their tribe.

While it may seem at first glance an absurd proposition, waging a war to weaken the general running it, it provides a logical explanation for many occurences over the last five years, including why the war never seems to be won. It was Ali Mohsen’s newspaper that disclosed the Chinese shipload of weapons for the rebels that was imported by the defense ministry. One should never underestimate the level of duplicity that the Sana’a regime is capable of, or its excellence at propaganda. President Saleh IS the King of Spin.

Yemen Herald:
SANAA, 07 Nov – Tribal leader and business tycoon, Sheik Hamid Abdullah al-Ahmar late Friday accused the Republican Guards of supporting the Shiite rebels in previous wars. He said “the Yemeni army is no longer capable of ending the war in north Yemen militarily because it lost trust in the political leadership in Yemen which plays around with peoples’ lives.” Al-Ahmar who was speaking to the Doha-based al-Jazeera satellite TV channel said “the Republican Guards headed by the President’s son supported the Shiite rebels in north Yemen in order to hit the First Artillery military division led by Brigadier General Ali Mohsen Al-Ahmar and hence get rid of him,” adding “a rebel leader is a friend of the President’s son, Ahmad Ali Abdullah Saleh.” Ali Mohsen is President Saleh’s half brother and al-Ahmar talked about “internal conflict between the various wings inside the army about the war in Sadaa,” and called on President Saleh to visit Abyan or Sadaa “in order to prove to us that he is still the President of all of Yemen,” adding “the President no longer has a state to rule.” “The state no longer exists except in the Presidential Palace and in the capital, Sanaa which is protected by 60 thousand troops,” Al-Ahmar said, adding “dialogue is the only hope to bring Yemen out of this situation,” stressing “dialogue with everyone is still possible to resolve the current crisis in Yemen.” He accused President Saleh of “wanting to turn the country into a monarchy through his pursuit to install his son in power,” and renewed his call for the President to step down, stressing “changing the head is the door to reforming the situations in Yemen.” “If President Saleh wants the people to stand by him against monarchism, then he should first get rid of his monarchy and if he wants people to stand by him to protect the nation’s unity, then he has to prove his patriotism by lifting injustice,” he said, and criticized the management of the war in north Yemen saying “the way this war is run has humiliated the army and caused it to lose its fighting moral.”

An interesting analysis at Carnegie focuses on security services reform in Palestine, Lebanon and Yemen. A good conclusion requires an apt intial assessment, such as:

Use of military recruitment to co-opt tribesmen and of appointments to
reward personal loyalty among offi cers—especially in the army and police
force—has led to the development of a security sector that is seriously bloated,
lacking in basic equipment and specialist skills, and fraught with corruption.
The sector is widely regarded as little more than disparate “stovepipes” centered
on Saleh. Yemeni government and security institutions are completely
segmented, with minimal communication and coordination between, and
within, the ministries of interior, justice, and defense. Consequently there is
extensive overlap and duplication of functions between the police, army, and
Central Security Forces in urban areas, and rivalry that result in ineffective
policing in rural areas and along land borders… (Read on …)

Yemen has released hoards of jihaddists in order to use them as informers for the state, or so they say at every mass release or high profile terrorist who walks free. And there have been many. The Yemeni government insists always that they know exactly where the wanted terrorists are, and I believe it. But the fact remains the Yemeni government is unwilling or unable to to arrest these al Qaeda individuals who insist random violence against civilians is justified and have executed terror operatons. The arrangement is like loose house arrest on steroids, loose village arrest perhaps. The US-Yemeni version of the containment policy has a few flaws for all concerned.

Yemen Tribune MARIB, 30 Oct — Security measures around oil installations and vital government institutions in the northeastern province of Marib have been tightened fearing al-Qaeda ‘imminent’ attack, the Media Centre at the Ministry of Interior said in a statement on its website on Friday, adding “security was stepped up to avert any al-Qaeda attack.” “Security agencies in the province of Marib continue to hunt down al-Qaeda operatives in the region and will bring them to justice,” said the statement, stressing “their movements are monitored round the clock and a security fence has been established around them which they cannot penetrate or escape its surveillance.” The centre said “security organizations in Marib don’t rule out the possibility that terror elements might carry out sabotage and terror operations to impel security to cease chasing them,” adding “any adventure of this kind will fail and security police have been put on high alert.”

They were only 10 years late on the first report.

Committee against Torture

The Committee against Torture this morning considered the second periodic report of Yemen on the efforts of that country to give effect to the provisions of the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, in the absence of a delegation.

Serving as Rapporteur for the report of Yemen, Committee Expert Nora Sveaass, began by noting that the initial report of Yemen had been considered in 2003, 10 years’ late; that there had never been replies to communications regarding follow-up to the Committee’s concluding observations on that report (although the report before them did undertake to respond to them); and that there had been no reply from Yemen to the Committee’s list of issues, sent to the Government six months ago, despite repeated reminders sent. They were now considering the report of Yemen without a delegation from the State party – a situation that was far from ideal.

Ms. Sveaass observed that the Committee had received reports on a lack of openness and transparency with regard to torture cases in Yemen, in particular a lack of willingness to receive information on allegations of torture, to undertake transparent investigations and to hold perpetrators accountable. According to the information before the Committee, draft laws and security laws were at the heart of that matter. In the course of the anti-terror war many persons had been detained and protests and demonstrations were very seriously met. There was also the issue of the practice of incommunicado detention, which appeared to be upheld under Yemeni law, as well as a number of reports of detentions without charges, or prolonged detentions without trials. Also alarming was that there appeared to be no mechanism to enforce the rights of detainees. A concern included hostage taking – reports that family members were abducted and held to ensure that a person sought would give themselves up.

Sami Dyan is the brother of Hassan Dayyan, if I recall correctly, and Khanfar, Abyan has been a hot spot for quite some time. The murder of suspected homosexuals and loose women were symptomatic of the extreme Talabanization of areas of Abyan last last year. Jamaat at Jihad, the Jihad Group, kidnapped an official and stormed a prison, killing one policeman, attempting to release their recently arrested commrade who was earlier released from prison during Ramadan, possibly by al Fadhli, but thats just buzz and besides they are freedom fighters now (joking joking).

Yemen Observer: Extensive gun fire was exchanged between the security forces and Jihadist militants groups in Khanfar district, Abyan province in the south of Yemen, last Saturday, said a source at the local council of Khanfar district.

A soldier was killed and two other soldiers were wounded, after the security forces arrested Fikri Ammorah , a member of the Jihadist group in Ja’ar of Khanfar district, said the source.

“Following Ammorah’s arrest, the jihadist groups, lead by Amir Sami Dyan, launched an offensive at the security center in Ja’ar, in an attempt to release Ammorah.” said the source. Ammorah is being detained for committing a number of crimes including murder and looting. (Read on …)

This is President Ali Saleh’s version of dialog with the opposition.

News Yemen: The Joint Meeting Parties (JMP), opposition coalition, condemned in a press statement on Sunday the kidnapping and harassment against its spokesperson Naif al-Qanis….Telling the story from the Science and Technology Hospital in the capital Sana’a, the assaulted al-Qanis told Al-Masdar: “Some gunmen kidnapped me to Hamadan district and cruelly hit me and broke my right hand and after that they threw me in the street. A taxi driver found me and took me to hospital.” Al-Qanis said the assailants were beating him and repeat “shut up the Joint Meeting Parties…You are licentious…You go beyond your limit”.

Yes Saleh’s nephew is the de facto head of the National Security. The Yemeni government switched the authority for handling the airports from the PSO to the National Security in 2006 after the planeloads of jihaddis flying out on Yemenia got a bit embarrassing. The National Security in its new role cracked down hard- on opposition politicians, journalists and activists attempting to fly out of Sana’a.

al Sahwa
Yemeni parliament has approved to summon the deputy chief of the National Security Organization Ammar Mohammad Abdullah Saleh, nephew of President Ali Abdullah Saleh, on grounds of violations oppositionists face in the Sana’a International Airport.

Parliamentarians stressed the importance of summoning Ammar considering him the de facto official of the security organization.

The demands of summoning came following the complaints raised by the representative Abdul-Salam Zabia last week as he was interrupted at the airport and prevented from travel by security organization.

Zabia said he was prevented from traveling abroad and he was investigated and threatened by pointing weapon at him.

Abdul-Razaq al-Hajri, MP, considered what happened to his colleague as a dangerous indication of violations Yemenis face in the airport.

It is worth noticing MPs, politicians, journalists and activists are always interrupted and prevented from travel by the National Security Organization.

Update: Parliament questions al Alimi who says maybe the ship went to Somalia and the weapons will be smuggled to Yemen from there.

Original Post: Actually it makes as much sense one way or the other, whether the shipment from Faris Manna (and the Defense Ministry) ultimately goes to the rebels or al Qaeda. I wrote in 2005 that Yemen was a primary weapons supplier to jihaddi groups all over the region- from Saudi to Gaza and lots of places in Africa. Later the Yemeni government promised (!!) to stop using brokers to buy and sell weapons. It was a big announcement, warmly welcomed by the US. But like nearly every and all announcements by the Yemeni regime, it lacked substance.

Following up on our earlier post, about Sa’ada mediator Faris Manna importing a shipload of Chinese weapons with forged documements from Yemen’s Defense Ministry: they can’t find the ship. Its in the port, left the port or never entered the port, one of those.

Yemen Post The debate over a suspected ship carrying Chinese-made weapons anchored in the port of Hodeida province in western Yemen heated up on Wednesday, with Parliament setting a deadline of next Monday for the government to submit a comprehensive report on the ship. (Read on …)

Update: Hussein Bin Yahia is the Cheif Executive of Al-Haq Party in Aden and Abyen governerates.

Sanaa – London “Eden Press” special: 11 – 10-2009
قالت مصادر خاصة في صنعاء لـ” عدن برس ” أن المناضل حسين زيد بن يحي القيادي في الحراك الجنوبي تعرض وما يزال يتعرض للضرب داخل زنزانة الاحتلال في سجون الأمن السياسي في صنعاء لرفضه المساومة او التراجع عن موقفه الداعمة والمطالبة باستقلال الجنوب . Sources in Sanaa, particularly for “Eden Press,” that freedom fighter Hussein Zeid Ben Yahia leader in mobility, the South has been and continues to be beaten in a cell in the prisons of the occupation of the Political Security in Sana’a for refusing to compromise or back down from his support and to demand independence for the south.
(Read on …)

Read it and weep.

Update: Crossed on Sunday?

Related: WFP denies convoy attacked by rebels.

Yemeni security forces kidnapped leading editor Mohammed al Maqaleh Thursday in apparent retribution for reporting on the Sa’ada War. Human rights groups have expressed concerns of probable torture.

Mr. Al Maqaleh is the editor for the opposition Socialist Party’s website, Al Eshteraki. On Wednesday, al Eshteraki reported on the Yemeni military’s air strikes targeting civilians that killed 87 people and injured over a hundred. The victims were internal war refugees, mostly women and children, sheltering in an open field having escaped the fighting in Sa’ada City. The military launched a second air strike as the survivors fled to a nearby bridge.

Yemen is a state that regularly kidnaps critics, activists, journalists and opposition figures. As human rights groups note, arbitrary arrest and incommunicado detention are the hallmarks of the Yemeni justice system. In dozens of instances, plain clothes intelligence operatives driving vehicles with military plates have snatched journalists off the street who are then “disappeared” and often tortured.

According to witness reports, five gun wielding masked men in a minibus intercepted Mr. al Maqaleh’s car on Taiz street in Sana’a Thursday evening. They dragged a struggling Mr. al Maqaleh into their vehicle and sped away.

Torture is systemic in Yemen. Tactics include severe beatings, burnings, sexual assaults, threats to family, whipping and depravation. It is likely that editor al Maqaeh is being subjected to these tactics currently.

His cell phone is off and his car found abandoned with the tires slashed. Yemeni authorities refused to take a report from his family, who were turned away at both the police station and the Criminal Investigations Division.

The Yemeni government’s targeting of journalists and suppression of newspapers and web sites is an attempt to cover-up military war crimes committed during the ongoing Sa’ada War. These war crimes include wholesale civilian slaughter, bombing of cities and villages, intentional starvation, and the withholding of medicine and water. Other collective punishment includes the discontinuance of electric and telephone service to Sa’ada. The effected region is home to 700,000 citizens, and comparisons are often made to Darfur.

The Yemeni Center for Human Rights expressed “grave concern” over the safety of the press and especially editor Mohamed al-Maqaleh. The YCHR strongly condemned the kidnapping, demanded his prompt release and the indictment of the perpetrators of this crime.

In 2007, Mohammed al Malqaleh was imprisoned for several months for “disrespecting the judiciary” after he laughed during a particularly absurd moment in the trial of award winning journalist, Abdulkarim al Khaiwani, who was charged with subversion for writing about an earlier round of the Sa’ada war.

-Jane

This is quite an interesting report from the Yemen Post that focuses on the absence of state control in many areas and identifies what alternate power structures are in place. Regarding Marib, the report notes, “Al-Qaeda is strongly present in Wadi Abeedah, a wide desert district with some rugged and mountainous areas. The same holds true for Al Shabwan.” The various southern leaders are noted by their level of popular support by location.

Several areas witness resurrection against the state, tribal conflicts, mobility or violent acts and these acts are associated with complete absence of state presence. In most governorates, the state does control only the main cities.

Bani Dhabian, Sana’a

Bani Dhabian is a tribal district in Sana’a province’s Khawlan region whose tribesmen implement constant kidnapping operations. There is no presence for security or the state apparatuses there and the last kidnapping incident targeted Businessman Tawfiq Al-Khamri’s brother. Prior to this, the tribesmen released the business manager of Shahr Abdul Haq following tribal mediation efforts. The tribesmen make big sums of money, as kidnapping is a source for wealth and it is a direct result for the lack of trust in judiciary. (Read on …)

The Yemeni government has arrested journalists for covering the Sa’ada War. This case is a tactic of intimidation directed against the international aid organizations.

from al Nedaa here, I think this is it:

Detained an officer of the United Nations in Sana’a .. after hours of a report on the humanitarian situation
الخميس , 27 أغسطس 2009 م Thursday, August 27th, 2009 م

اعتقلت مجموعة أمنية عصر أمس وليد شرف الدين، الموظف في مكتب الأمم المتحدة بصنعاء. Security group arrested yesterday afternoon and Walid Sharaf al-Din, an employee of the United Nations Office in Sana’a. وقال مصدر قريب من أسرة شرف الدين إن ضباطاً يعتقد أنهم تابعون لجهاز الأمن القومي دهموا منزل وليد وقاموا بتفتيشه ثم اعتقاله ومصادرة كمبيوتره المحمول (اللابتوب)، وأوراقه. A source close to the family added that the officers believed to be affiliated to the National Security Service raided the house of Walid and then searched his arrest and the confiscation of his laptop (laptop), and leaves.
ولم يصدر أي تصريح عن مكتب الأمم المتحدة بشأن الاعتقال حتى مساء أمس. There was no statement from the Office of the United Nations detention until Sunday evening. وعزت مصادر خاصة الاعتقال إلى انزعاج السلطات اليمنية من تقرير نشرته الأمم المتحدة أمس. And private sources attributed the arrest to alarm the Yemeni authorities of the report published by the United Nations yesterday. أعده مكتبها في صنعاء، يتعرض إلى الأوضاع الانسانية في صعدة وعمران، ومسؤولية الأجهزة الحكومية والجيش عن معاناة النازحين في مناطق العمليات العسكرية. Prepared by the office in Sana’a, is exposed to the humanitarian situation in Sa’ada, Amran, and the responsibility of government agencies and the military for the suffering of displaced persons in the areas of military operations.

The rebels gained a lot of ground in the last week. News Yemen reports: Thirteen rebels and three soldiers were killed in clashes between the government forces and Shiite rebels in Sa’ada Monday and Tuesday. The three soldiers were killed in al-Houthis raid on a hospital in Sakain area on Monday, local sources told NewsYemen. The 13 rebels were allegedly killed on Tuesday in al-Hesama district where they controlled Tawaliq Mountain on border with Saudi Arabia. Special sources said al-Houthis are being attacked from a military camp overlooking Tawaliq Mountain.

There’s also the allegations that Saudi Arabia is allowing the Yemeni military to attack the rebels from Saudi territory.

SAN’A, Yemen — Shiite Muslim rebels in northern Yemen have seized a key control post on a strategic highway linking the capital San’a with Saudi Arabia, overcoming an army brigade after 12 hours of intense combat, local officials and the rebels said Thursday.

The latest round of fighting is a major escalation in the five-year-old rebellion in Saada province and is likely to invite a large-scale counterattack by the army to take back the post. But the rebels’ successful offensive cast renewed doubt on the government’s control over security… (Read on …)

Its quite similiar, nearly identical (timing, target, ordenance, location, damage) to the dozens of nuisance attacks in 2007/8 by the jihaddist “Yemen Soldiers Brigades” which took credit in a variety of internet statements. From al Sahwa:

A bomb exploded near a police building in south Yemen, authorities said, and security forces defused a bigger device set to go off outside a government office in the region, where secessionist feeling runs high.

A blast blew a hole in a fence outside a criminal investigation department building in Abyan province but caused no injuries, the website of the ruling party quoted security sources as saying.

A larger device, made of a mine attached to a timer, was defused after being planted and set to explode near the fence of the offices of a government watchdog in Abyan. (Read on …)

Its a very odd story all in all.

الإثنين 03 أغسطس-آب 2009 / Radhia Khairan-Edit: Jane Novak
HOOD Online

In his second call home in a matter of months, Abdulsalam al Hilah, a Yemeni detainee incarcerated at the Guantanamo Bay detention facility, said he survived an assassination attempt three weeks ago.

During the call to his family in Yemen last month, Mr. al Hilah received the news of the death of his mother and two young sons. The boys were killed in April 2009 just two days after Mr. al Hilah’s last call home when a grenade accidentally exploded. (Read on …)

There seems to be several carloads of weapons floating around Yemen this week.

almotamar.net – Security sources confirmed Tuesday to almotamar.net that security apparatuses in Jaar district, governorate of Abyan in Yemen on Monday captured a car loaded with weapons intended to be transported to the terrorists led by a terrorist called Tahir Tammah.

The security sources mentioned that security men at Batis checkpoint in Jaar district seized the car loaded with weapons and explosives and was carrying a group of sabotage elements that in interrogation have confessed that the weapons and explosives shipment was meant to be delivered to the terrorist who leads them Tahir Tammah, indicating that the arrested elements have been sent to concerned authorities.

Update: thanks everybody!!!! It says its Ali Mohsen al Ahmar’s faction of al Qaeda…The jihaddists who killed the four soldiers were found with military cards and dead bodies in their car. Thats what the articles say.

Whether Ali Mohsen was trying to make the southerners look bad or he was making a move during an internal power struggle, the bottom line is – according to the articles- terrorists acting as agents of the Yemeni military killed other soldiers in a propaganda ploy.

They have been doing things like this all along, cloning their opponents to perpetrate various false flag attacks. The idea that al Qaeda when allied with the Yemeni regime is any less dangerous is absurd. If anything, the access to state resources increases their capacity.

Update 2: al Motamar reported the arrests (and blamed al Fadhli) and later began denying the arrests – which may mean they were released after some high level intercession: An official security sources has on Thursday denied the information reported by some newspapers and electronic papers on arresting, by security authorities in Mareb, the perpetrators of the crime of killing four security soldiers and injuring a fifth in Um Ayn the day before yesterday.

How complicated! The soldiers were killed in Abyan. And there’s fighting in Marib between al Qaeda and some security. This may take days to shake out.

Original post: I have to figure this out (or rather get someone to explain if it says what I think it says- HINT HINT.) Its a google translation of the latest scandal. It seems to say the perpetrators of the murder of the four Yemeni soldiers were state jihaddists but I need confirmation of who they belong to. There’s several groups of state jihaddists. From Aden Press (and below from Marib Press):

Control group of armed Bmorb followed involved the murder of Muhsin Red Yemeni security soldiers Babin

News مأرب_لندن “عدن برس” خاص: 29-7-2009 Marib-London, “Aden said,” special: 29-7-2009
تمكن أفراد إحدى النقاط العسكرية التابعة للجيش اليمني بمحافظة مأرب صباح اليوم من اعتقال منفذي الهجوم على إحدى نقاط الانتشار الأمنية الواقعة بمنطقة العين مديرية لودر والتي راح ضحيتها 4 جنود وأصيب خامس بإصابات بالغة . Enable members of one of the points of the military army of the Yemeni province of Marib on Monday morning from the arrest of the perpetrators of the attack on one of its proliferation in the eye of the security directorate for the generation that killed 4 soldiers and wounded a fifth was seriously injured. واكتشف الجنود تورط الجماعة الإرهابية المسلحة وذلك حينما مرت السيارة التي تقلهم بالنقطة وخضعت لعملية تفتيش روتينية عثر الجنود خلالها على جثتين لأشخاص قتلوا بالرصاص الحي . The soldiers discovered the involvement of the armed terrorist group, when the car passed the point of them underwent a routine check during which the soldiers found the bodies of people killed with live bullets.

وحينها قام الجنود بإلقاء القبض على من كان في السيارة بعد أن تم سلبهم أسلحتهم الشخصية وبتفتيش السيارة عثر بداخلها على بطائق عسكرية تخص الجماعة المسلحة حيث اتضح أنهم عسكريون يتبعون المنطقة العسكرية الشمالية التي يقودها علي محسن الأحمر احد اكبر الشخصيات المثيرة للجدل داخل صنعاء. And then the soldiers to arrest those who were in the car after it had been robbed of their personal weapons and searched the car found inside the military cards belonging to the armed group, where the military found that they follow the northern military region, which led to an improved one of the largest Red controversial figures in Sanaa. إحدى القيادات العسكرية في اللواء 315 مشاة من أبناء محافظة أبين والذي كان مشاركا في عملية توقيف السيارة واحتجازا فرادها قال في اتصال هاتفي بـ”عدن برس” طالبا عن عدم الكشف عن هويته أن عملية الإيقاف جاءت عن طريق الصدفة وعبر عملية تفتيش روتينية مؤكدا أن الجماعة المسلحة التي تم إيقافها تم العثور بحوزة أفرادها على مبالغ مالية وهواتف خليوية تعمل بنظام “الثرياء”. One of the military leadership in the 315 infantry brigade from the province of Abyan, which was involved in the process of arrest and detention car Fradha said in a telephone call to “Aden said,” students not to be named, that the suspension came about by accident and through a process of routine inspection, stressing that the armed group was stopped was found in possession of its members on the money and cell phones operating system “Althreya.” وكانت المفاجأة التي فجرها هذا القيادي هو تأكيده على أن مسئولين في العاصمة صنعاء ومسئولين عسكريين في المنطقة الشمالية قد حاولوا التدخل لأجل الإفراج الفوري عنهم وقبل ان يتم إبلاغ الجهات الرسمية في مر كز العاصمة صنعاء والتي أصدرت بدورها تعليمات فورية ومشددة بضرورة التحفظ على من تم اعتقالهم حتى وصول قوات خاصة من صنعاء لاستلامهم . It was triggered by the surprise leader, is the assertion that officials in the capital Sanaa, and military officials in the northern region had tried to intervene for the immediate release them and be informed before the official authorities in the capital Sanaa over Kz, which in turn issued instructions for immediate and heavy need a reservation to have been arrested so The arrival of special forces from Sanaa to receiving them. (Read on …)

But where are they now??? According to this report, they are alive and hidden. Please God let it be true. (The parallels to the French aid workers kidnapped in Somalia by al Qaeda are interesting if only in the timing and rationale.) Sheik Haba notes yet another specific camp where the Yemeni military is training Salafi recruits in terror tactics. I think that’s the fifth location of jihaddis traning in military camps published in the recent past. A continuation of the domestic, state sponsored jihad in Yemen naturally has regional security implications.

Yemen Times, SANA’A, July 19 — News reports said that a number of battalions from Yemeni special forces as well as other military units are being deployed in Wadi Jubarah and in other areas of the Wa’ela tribes adjacent to the Saudi borders.

A tribal source told the Yemen Times that military forces were seen moving in three fronts from Mareb, Al-Jawf and Sa’ada city and that they were heading toward Wadi Jubarah and the nearby areas belonging to Wa’ela tribes. The source, who preferred to remain anonymous, said that the military forces told citizens that they were surrounding the house of the tribal sheikh who is accused of kidnapping the six foreigners.

“We are sure that the sheikh wasn’t directly involved in kidnapping the nine foreigners or the murder of three of them,” said the source. “The Salafia members that were involved in kidnapping and killing the foreigners persuaded the sheikh to hide the hostages until they can find a way to protect themselves from being held accountable for the murders. The sheikh himself didn’t participate in the kidnapping. He doesn’t belong to any Salafia groups. In addition, he doesn’t object to the existence of Christian missionary groups or any other religion in the governorate.” — Sources reported that the armed group that kidnapped the foreigners is affiliated with Wahabi Salafia extremists who are opposed to the existence of Christian missionaries who have been working at the Al-Jumhuri Hospital in the capital city of Sa’ada for 35 years. (Read on …)

Yemen is a land of dueling accusations, but the Houthis insist to this day that the bombing of the bin Salem mosque that precipitated the fifth war was actually perpetrated by the authority. Similarly, both sides accuse the other of the Germans’ kidnapping. Statistically, the most systematic liar in Yemen through recent history is Saleh’s regime, by far.

Al Estraki: Flag of the Socialist Net-informed sources in Saada that the local authority staff working in the government complex Wednesday morning arrested a person who was trying to plant a roadside bomb in the building

وقال المصدر أن موظفا في المجمع الحكومي لاحظ من نافذة المبنى شخصا يحمل كرتونا ويتردد على اركان وزوايا المبنى وهو يتلفت إلى الخلف فاشتبه به فقام باخبار كل من كانوا موجودين في المجمع من موظفين ومراجعين الذين سارعوا بدورهم إلى الإحاطة بالشخص المشتبه به وإلقاء القبض عليه أمام بوابة المجمع الحكومي The source said an official at the government compound observed from the window of the building and person with a Krtuna frequented corners of the building and staff, which is the successor to the Itfatt Vachtbh the back of the news were in the pool of staff and auditors, who in turn were quick to take the person and the suspect arrested in front of the gate of the compound government

وقد تبين أن الشخص المشار إليه كان يحمل عبوة ناسفة معدة للتفجير وانه جندي يتبع اللواء الخامس عشر مدرع التابع للفرقة الأولى مدرع It was found that the person referred to was carrying a bomb primed to detonate and he was a soldier follows the fifteenth armored brigade of the First Armored Division

وقال المصدر أن الأجهزة الأمنية تسلمت الرجل وبدأت في إجراءات التحقيق معه لمعرفة من هو، وما اذا كان الحادث فردي ام ان جهة ما كلفت الجندي بهذه المهمة الإجرامية الخطيرة؟ The source said that the security services took the man and started with him in the investigation to determine who is, and whether the incident was an individual or whether the soldier was assigned to the point of this task serious criminal? وما هو الهدف الذي أرادت تحقيقه من تفجير مبنى المحافظة أثناء تواجد الموظفين!؟ What is wanted to achieve the goal of maintaining a building in the presence of the staff!?

ولا يستبعد مراقبون أن تكون الجهة التي تقف خلف هذا العمل الإجرامي الخطير الذي كان يمكن أن يودي بحياة عشرات الموظفين والمراجعين قد “استهدفت تفجير الوضع في صعدة وفي عموم اليمن” Observers do not rule out that the entity behind this serious criminal act which could have claimed the lives of dozens of staff and visitors could “blow the situation in and around Saada, Yemen” (Read on …)

Also known as the Unification Brigades.

The sentence balances out the death sentence on the Houthi rebels quite nicely. (I am being sarcastic of course). Lets see what happens in the future, you can never tell from the sentence what the real level of punishment is going to be…

So this is the Tarim cell of al Qaiti that was found responsible for all the mortar attacks, the suicide car bombing on the Sayoun police station and the murder of the two poor Belgian women who were shot at farly close range in an ambush. Al Qaiti and al Qamish (head of the PSO) had their falling out and started slinging insults after the ambush and mortar attacks but before the Sayoun attack and subsequent raids.

They were charged with a total of 23 attacks. The Syrians were in Yemen for eight years before their arrest. some confessed to receiving funds from Saudi figures Then there’s this June 9: “I demand that the charges against me be dropped — the charges I have never heard of until I was interrogated,” said Hossam al-Amoudi, who was arrested in Syria on returning from Iraq.

Death, Imprisonment sentences to terrorists
Monday, 13-July-2009
Almotamar.net – The Yemeni First Instance Criminal Court on Monday issued death sentences against 6 defendants and imprisonment of 10 others to terms of 8 to 15 years. The convicted persons were from al-Qaeda organisation cell ‘ Tarim cell known as Jund al-Yemen’ condemned of perpetrating terrorist acts , among them the killing of the two Belgian tourists and the driver Ahmed al-Amiri in Hadramout January 2008, attacking & July School near the American embassy in march of the same year, attacking residence complex of foreigners in Sana’a and attacking a number of security checkpoints, military camps and oil and vital installations and exposing security and safety of society to danger.

In the court sitting held under chairmanship of Judge Muhsin Mohammed Alwan the court passed its judgment of death sentence against each of Rawi Ahmed al-Saiari, Haitham Saeed Mubarak, Khalid Muslim Batees, Sultan Ali Sulaiman al-Saiari, Ali Muhsin Saleh al-Akbari and saeed Naïf Saeed Sankad.

The ruling also stipulated imprisonment sentences for 15 years for each of Mohammed Saeed Ahmed Baueidan, Mohammed Attiyah Ahmed al-Wahibi, Syrian , Mahmud Ahmed Mohammed Darwish, Syrian , Mohammed Khalil Ismael al-Shatti al-Shahwani, Syrian and Abdullah Ali Saleh Bawazir, Saudi.

The indictment mentioned participation of the defendants in the period December 2007- November 2008 with an armed cell and terrorist organisation carrying out criminal acts aimed at attacking foreigners in embassies, companies and places of their living quarters and tourists.

The court also sentenced to 12 years imprisonment against 3 of the accused and one of them to 8 years in prison and one of them to 8 years in jail.

The Yemen Times gets specific on the timeline, details and geography of the kidnapping and the subsequent events.

Amidst false rumors of progress in releasing kidnapped foreigners, Houthis warn of a sixth war in three days

SANA’A, June 24 – Shiekh Saleh bin Shage’ deputy chief of Waela Tribes at the Yemeni Saudi borders explained that the surrendering of two of his tribes men by his brother Rashad to the Yemeni security in Sa’ada has nothing to do with the missing six foreigners kidnapped on Friday June 12.

“It is a hideous crime that we all condemn, but the two men have nothing to do with it,” he said. “In fact, being easily surrendered to the security without any resistance proves that if they had anything to hide they would have fled.”

Mushin Al-Tam and Hassan Kazman, suspected of involvement in the killing and kidnapping of foreigners were were in the remote area of Nushoor while Yemeni security forces were hunting them. When the two heard they were sought after, they reported to their sheikh’s house, proclaiming their innocence. Waela leaders asked them to surrender to the state and they obliged willingly, according to Bin Shage’.

Most of the locals in Waela belong to the Ismaili sect, which is the second largest part of the Shiite community (Read on …)

Great expose on the causes, mechanisms and outcome of media repression in relation to the Sa’ada War from AMS:

Restricting access to information can be as serious a threat to journalism as overt censorship or government persecution. The ongoing insurgency in Yemen’s northern governorate of Sa‘ada is one example of how a state’s attempt to enforce an information blackout has helped hide and sustain a conflict that has festered over four years, killing thousands and leaving a city destroyed, and continuing to stoke fears of a return to violence.

The Sa‘ada governorate, located in Yemen’s mountainous northern region on the border with Saudi Arabia and home to around 750 thousand people, has witnessed stop and go wars since 2004.[1] Precise numbers of the dead and wounded are unknown because no organization, national or international, has been allowed full access to the area to make an independent account of the violence, although most estimates put the death toll well into the thousands. (Read on …)

Late last year, retired Yemeni Air Force pilot, Abdul-Aziz Al-Abdi., threatened the Jewish community in Amran to “convert or die”. Al-Abdi then shot a young Rabbi, Masha al-Nahari, father of nine, in broad daylight. The family’s home and the Jewish in general was threatened and pelted with stones, forcing children to withdraw from school. After a sustained effort by Yemeni civil society, especially the HOOD organization, al-Abdi was brought to trial, and sentenced to a fine. Representing the victim’s family, HOOD lawyer, Khaled al-Anesi called the verdict “a scandal”. Today upon appeal, the Yemeni court overturned the prior verdict and imposed the death penalty. Currently a crowd of armed tribesmen is besieging the court and threatening the family, lawyers and journalists.

HOOD: An armed tribal group ranging 20-25 is surrounding the court building after the announcement of the Amran Appellate court’s ruling today…HOOD has received a call from its lawyers, Masha’s defence team before court proceedings, asserting that “they are seized inside the court with some of other journalists and Masha’s family members by an armed tribesmen belong to the convicted al-Abdi. Subsequently, HOOD directs a statement to the Interior minister holding him accountable of protecting the safety of all people seized inside the court building.

Its not like the police are going to come or anything. The family, lawyers and journalists are trapped inside the courthouse.

The Yemen Times reprints a good article from al Hayatt on the murder of Doctor Derhem al Qadasi, who was stabbed to death in a hospital by a gang of tribesmen after an elderly relative died. Not much happened afterward until the doctor’s union went on strike. Recently the Yemeni government, taking a page from the Israelis, knocked down the house of one of the suspected murders. However, its six months later and no one has been brought to justice in the courts. Doctors in Yemen are in short supply and the insecurity of their profession has caused many to move abroad. The failure of the judicial system to function underlies many social ills from tribal kidnappings to the prevalence of gun ownership to the regional discontent in the South. In the case of Dr. Derhem, who was murdered while serving society, its a clear miscarriage of justice when his killers are walking free.

Yemen Times: Doctors in Yemen are subject to repeated acts of aggression, including death threats, which prompted some of them to think of leaving the country at a time when citizens’ trust in doctors has deteriorated. The murder of a Yemeni doctor by relatives of a patient created a state of concern and fear among doctors and workers in health care services. Dr. Derhem Al-Qadasi died this past January after a number of a deceased patient’s relatives stormed the hospital where Dr. Al-Qadasi worked and stabbed and kicked him to death. Sources in the Yemeni Doctors and Pharmacists Syndicate said that some Yemeni doctors have immigrated to Arab countries such as the UAE and Oman.

A state of rage spread among popular medical outlets as Dr. Al-Qadasi’s murderers haven’t been arrested yet even though roughly six months have passed since the incident took place. The family of Dr. Al-Qadasi still refuses to bury him and a number of Yemeni cities, including Sana’a, witnessed a number of sit-ins staged by doctors and civil activists. Dr. Abdul Qawi Al-Shamiri, head of the Yemeni Doctors and Pharmacists Syndicate, considered the incident “a result of the insecurity under which the country lives.” He made clear that the increase in aggressive behavior against doctors and workers in the health field aggravated the feeling of a lack of tranquility, particularly due to what he called “failure of the authorities to arrest the accused,” which encouraged the continuation of the aggressive behavior.
(Read on …)

The kidnapping and murders may be the work of the group of the foreign (Arab and non-Arab) al Qaeda that began arriving in Sa’ada in April, as we reported here at the time and I think its in one of the articles. It was a substantial number and independently reported by multiple outlets.

If so, it would account for the deviation from the pattern of terror attacks established previously by the indigenous al Qaeda group, which has been to murder foreign tourists by suicide bombing or in one case, by strafing them with gunfire. Kidnapping foreign female aid workers is a standard and current tactic of terrorism in Afghanistan and Iraq. The arrival and amassing of foreign terror operatives in Sa’ada was certainly not a haphazard occurrance, and this may be not either.

The drug dealers story also seem a reasonable explanation, and it has a lot of resonance on the ground, but it wouldn’t account for the torture and mutilation. The story is that a large shipment of drugs was confiscated by security, who refused to release the drugs back to the dealers after negotiations. The kidnapping was a method of leveraging the talks. The kidnapping of nine persons is certainly the work of a group with prepared logistics, not a temporarily insane person overcome with jihaddist fervor and armed with a jambia.

If the back story relates to negotiations over confiscated drugs, it would account for the Yemeni government’s early and conflicting announcements of the kidnappng itself and the rush to blame the Houthis. As we know, many drug smuggling rings have some association with and support of regime affiliated individuals. The concerns of the Yemeni mafia often run counter to standard governmental administration and violently conflict with other aspects of the regime (like the Coast Guard). There’s big money involved in drug smuggling in Yemen; one shipment of hashish confiscated after an external intel tip had a street value of USD 20 million.

Then of course, as with all terror attacks in Yemen, there is the false flag theory- where some element of the Yemeni security has involvement. This thinking shakes out into two forms- 1) subverted security directs and/or provides logistical assistance to al Qaeda and 2) deliberate acts by the Yemeni government under the guise of al Qaeda (or in this case the Houthi rebels) to manipulate Western sentiment and analysis. In the current scenario, the regime by blaming the rebels for the kidnapping ultimately legitimizes the resumption of the Sa’ada war and gains recognition of the rebels as “terrorists”, something the international community has not done. It also would serve, as it has, to take oxygen away from the growing southern protests and calls for dissolution of the unified Yemeni state. The “false flag” conceptualization as an overall theory of Yemeni government practice has been advanced in Yemen by persons ranging from al Qaeda operatives themselves to mainstream opposition leaders and the former president of South Yemen Ali Salem Beidh.

Independent: The bodies of three women hostages found in Yemen are believed to show signs of torture and extensive mutilation, it emerged yesterday as security officials investigated whether the reasons for the killings were religious rather than purely political.

Two of the murdered women belonged to a Bible school in Germany and had links with a Baptist charity operating in Yemen. The third victim was a Korean who worked for an aid organisation with religious affiliations.

Diplomatic sources said that the savage way the murders were committed did not conform to hostage-taking scenarios associated with a local Shia group, the Houthis, who the Yemeni authorities are blaming, or al-Qa’ida and their associates, who the Americans say have been infiltrating the country.

Comment by Jane: All the foreigners murdered in previous incidents in Yemen were killed in terror attacks by al Qaeda. The Houthis have never kidnapped any civilians, Yemenis or foreigners, since the war began in 2004.

The multiple foreigner kidnappings by tribesmen occurred in other areas, and not by rebel fighters. The very odd thing is the Yemeni government’s rush to judgement. Caution and concern for the kidnap victims would dictate the state not immediately blame the rebels, which they did in the strongest terms, even though it was a propaganda coup for day. The fate of the children and the men is uncertain at this time, as well as who kidnapped them.

The other story circulating is that drug dealers kidnapped the nine after the security refused to return a shipment of confiscated drugs. (Mareb Press) To follow is the statement of Abdel Malik al Houthi:

*ندين ونستنكر بشدة ما تعرض له أطباء المستشفى الجمهوري من عمل إجرامي بشع**
**يتنافى مع القيم والمبادئ والأخلاق الإنسانية، ويكشف أن من وراء الحادثة** **قد
تجردوا عن الضمير وتحولوا إلى ذئاب بشرية اعمي بصائرهم حقدهم الأعمى**
**ومؤامراتهم
الخطيرة التي تستهدف البلد** **.* (Read on …)

OK slightly more coherent:

There are conflicting reports coming out of Yemen on the status of nine foreign hostages kidnapped days earlier in Sa’ada, Yemen. One report says three hostages were killed, most say seven were murdered- shot, not beheaded, and two children were left alive. Another very new report from Yemen says six have been recovered alive.

Looking to the question of who murdered them, the least likely group is “tribesmen” who have kidnapped nearly 200 this decade. All those kidnappings were announced at once and all hostages were released unharmed after negotiations with the government. The next least likely is the Shiite rebel group, the Houthis. In four years of war, the rebels have mingled with civilians but never targeted them, and they never engaged in any kidnappings. A more possible culprit is the Yemeni Political Security Organization which has previously, it is said, created terror attacks against western tourists in order to gain counter terror funding for the regime. The most likely actor is Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), which has claimed credit for all the prior lethal attacks on tourists. Although the Yemeni government has taken great pains to pin the kidnappings and now the murders on the Shiite rebels, it doesn’t jive with history. The victims were associated with a Baptist medical team and were found in an area where a Baptist doctor was killed by al Qaeda in 2002. They were taken from a zone well controlled by the Political Security that would inhibit access by the rebels, but allow it by terrorists. (The Yemeni government has engaged the services of al Qaeda linked terrorists as mercenaries against the Shiite rebels in the Sa’ada governorate.)

Whoever perpetrated this crime, its an incredible act of brutality, considering they chose to take and not leave the kids to start with, and the victims confirmed dead are the three women- two German nurses and a South Korean nanny. Where are the three kids?

Original post, links, updates, below the fold as well as Abdel Malik al Houthi’s statement yesterday denying the complicity of his fighters in the kidnapping and accusing the government of treachery. (Read on …)

They say it occured next the the headquarters of the Political Security in Sa’ada. However like every other group in Yemen, when news hit the western media, they are unable to put out a statement in English.

Ergo, yet more bad google translation:

Houthi deny that any of the sons of Saada relationship is accused of the kidnapping of German. Power is the power (the government) bears full responsibility for their fate.

The area where it was said that they had kidnapped them (Graz) is next to the Political Security in the heart of the city of Saada.

We emphasize that the charge for us is null and false accusation and slander is a matter of political vindictiveness, which is evidence of the bankruptcy (of the regime).

الحوثي ينفي ان يكون لابناء صعدة اي علاقة بخطف الالمان ويتهم السلطة لسلطة هي من تتحمل المسؤولية الكاملة عن مصيرهم حيث وان المنطقة التي قيل أنهم اختطفوا منها ( غراز ) هي بجوار الأمن السياسي في قلب مدينة صعده . ونؤكد أن اتهام السلطة لنا هو اتهام باطل وزور وبهتان وهو من باب الكيد السياسي، وهو دليل على إفلاسها وتخبطها ولن يكون في صالحها كما تظن وتسعى من وراء ذلك بل ستفتح باب الشر على أبناء اليمن يدخل منه من يحملون إ

Of course the Reuters report is by Mohammed Saddam, President Saleh’s personal translator, and the report that the rebels kidnapped them came from the military.

The Saada War has raged since 2004- the rebels have never kidnapped anyone or targeted civilians in that time (unlike the Yemeni government which bombed the hell out of quite a few cities and kidnapped hundreds, if not thousands, of civilians including children.)

Tribal kidnapping is common in Yemen, usually the demand is the release of relatives held as hostages by the government. And normally when tribesmen kidnap foreigners, they call it in, the hostages call home, everybody drinks tea and waits. No one gets hurt, and sooner or later, the tribal relatives are freed and so are the western hostages.

But this is the first case in years where the kidnappers have not immediately identified themselves and their demands. I’m starting to get worried they are going to wind up to be with al Wahishi (Al Qaeda in the Arabia Peninsula ):

Reuters Earlier on Sunday a government source said nine foreigners, including seven Germans, were kidnapped in the Saada area of north Yemen, days after 24 medical workers were taken hostage, then released within a day.

The source said one of the Germans was a doctor at a local hospital which the other Germans, including his three children, were visiting. The defense ministry said in its online newspaper “September 26″ that Saada rebels carried out the kidnapping.

The Briton is an engineer and the South Korean a female school teacher working with an aid agency. A source among the rebels of Saada’s Houthi clan, members of a Shi’ite sect, denied that they did the kidnapping.

I don’t know who has them. The Houthi rebels seem unlikely susupects. But it is a deviation in the pattern of tribal kidnappings that have occurred since 2000.

The Bin Shamlan quote is telling. Yemen Times:

SANA’A May 24 — A number of recommendations considered a basis for national dialogue on the country’s urgent issues were outlined during the National Consultation Meeting, which concluded its activities on Thursday. (Read on …)

President Saleh has used jihaddists for years to fight his wars, attack his enemies and occasionally to blow something up (or murder a few tourists) when the international community starts coming down hard on him or the domestic scene heats up.

While its difficult for some people to wrap their minds around the idea that Saleh orchestrates terror attacks, the allegation has a little weight when it comes from his former vice-president. The charge has been made by everyone from the terrorists to the politicians. More than that, we know that Saleh openly negotiates with terrorists (for example Abu Bakr al Rabie) in order to create an illusion for the west, for example the illusion of jail. And the decades long relationship between Saleh and Zawahiri et al has to be factored in.

The internal political dynamics at the time of some attacks made them nearly predictable. They work in that Saleh achieves his goal of changing the narrative. The games that follow are outrageous and absurd. To put it even more simply, Saleh’s total lack of ethics and morals makes anything possible. Terrorism is a big part of Saleh’s foreign and domestic policy. By placing so much emphasis on al Qaeda, the US gave Saleh a vested interest in being a victim of terrorism. From the other side, while its a complex and amorphous landscape, some know they are mercenaries, and some like the teenage suicide bombers don’t.

Mareb Press

هاجم علي سالم البيض العروض العسكرية التي اقيمت مؤخراً في اليمن بمناسبة العيد 19 للوحدة اليمنية، قائلاً: بالامس يحتفلون بعيد الوحدة بالدبابات والعروض العسكرية ،من يخوفون بهذا العرض ،أبناء الجنوب .أم دول الجوار ؟ Baid attacked military parades that was recently held in Yemen to mark the 19 anniversary of the unity of Yemen, said: yesterday, celebrating the tanks and military parades, of intimidating the offer, the people of the south. Or neighboring countries? بينما الناس يموتون جوعا في الجنوب وحتى في الشمال. While people are dying of starvation in the south and even in the north.

وانكر البيض في مقابلة مع قناة الحرة من مدينة ميونخ الألمانية معرفته بزعيم تنظيم القاعدة في جزيرة العرب ابو بصير ناصر الوحيشي، متهماً اياه بالعمل مع النظام اليمني في الامن السياسي. White denied in an interview with Al-Free German city of Munich to know the leader of al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, Abu Basir Nasir Louhichi, accusing him of working with the Yemeni political security.

Thats good stuff indeed, and yes the ruling family has billions in the UAE. More on Yahya Saleh and MAZ below the fold, but there’s so many criss- cross relations between the Yemeni adminstration and corporate misconduct that its mind boggling.

Yemen Post

With the passage of time, the democratic project has turned to be a family one and “Al-Saleh” name has started to label all government, charity and officials activities, with wide media coverage financed by state funds as well as money obtained from businessmen. This clearly indicates that the state is following the Gulf family model.

Even the ruling party, the General People Congress (GPC), has turned to be a tool in the hand of the ruling family leaderships who control its policies, decisions and financial affairs.

Political Control through Economy
General Ahmed Ali Abdullah Saleh has started to show up in mass media as paying visits to some Gulf countries to meet with these states’ kings, Sheikhs and crown-princes. The last visit was made to Bahrain on April 25 and Ahmed had meetings with the crown prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa.

The recent issue of Al-Maz Company, which works as a subcontractor for Total Yemen, Total drivers revealed the way in which the sons of the ruling family obtain agency contracts from the largest oil companies. The company receives $1200 for each driver; but it just pays each one of them $225. Thus the company’s profits from the salaries of 100 drivers reach $97,000 a month.

Commissions of Protection and Partnership
Informed sources revealed that two sons from the ruling family received $40 million in commission for buying modern weapons from Dubai during the recent Russian Weapons Exhibition.

A military and economic affairs observer noted that a military leader from the ruling family got over $20 million in commissions for military deals over the years 1996 – 2005.

A Yemeni expatriate in United Arab Emirates quoted a senior Emirate official as saying that Yemeni officials from the ruling family invested over $15 billion in his country.

Land Plots and Farms
Feeling their importance, the ruling family sight has been directed towards lands and farms being one of the easiest ways, towards speedy enrichment. It is known that an influential from the ruling family owns over 150,000 Lebnah (Lebnah = 56 square meters).

Sheikh Tareq Al-Fadhli distributed plots of lands to senior officials; the areas of some plots come close to the area of a small country. They also have larger farms in Abs, Hajjah, Al-Hodeidah and Hadramout.

Army: External Gate
An observer reviewing the map of army and security will easily find that the leaders of these institutions belong to the ruling family or the areas neighboring the family’s homeland. They are assuming the leading posts in the Republican Guard, Special Guards Forces, Central Security, Air Forces, Military Areas and Brigades.

Informed sources also speak about thousands of soldiers enlisted in the payrolls but they never exist and their salaries, in millions, go to the leaders of military units in which such names are enlisted.

(Read on …)

Things are unraveling so fast, its hard to keep up.

One killed, four others wounded in bomb explosion in Dhale’a

DHALE’A, May 04(Saba) -One person died and four others were injured including two of security forces due to bomb explosion in Dhale’ governorate, southern Yemen, police said.

One of wanted outlaw element has detonated hand grenade in the middle of the market while security forces were trying to stop an illegal protest in the governorate.

The explosion killed the citizen Naser Ali Al-baidani, 27, deputy security director of the province said. He indicated that the other persons have been seriously injured and then hospitalized.

He affirmed that the forces will hunt down and punish those who are responsible on this criminal and cruel act, praising the citizens’ stand against such acts.

An example of southern sentiment from today’s comments:

To all the south yemeni’s around the world, it is our time to regain our land and to show the hypacrites of the north that we will fight for our freedom, even if they have the tanks, planes and the ships. for all the people who are scared to open there mouths, we only live once it time to become one and fight the dihbashis, who are demolishing anything that reminds them of the south, there are no jobs for the people who are in the south maybe some cleaning jobs, that’s if you know the president. because you are some of the lucky few who live in europe or the U.S.A you all forget where you come from, be men and stand your ground against the impresser fight for your brothers and sisters, who are beaten and raped daily of what is there’s, do you see what is going on in REDFAN at this time? or are you all blind, over 100 check points around the south none in the north. if you all cant speak for yourselves and fight for your SOUTH then let you wive’s speak for you, as many of the sons of the south have forgotten there roots please remember who you are brothers, it is time to fight and regAine our beloved capital ADEN

This is just pathetic. This could be anybody, anybody, but there’s still one dead soldier and 14 wounded regardless of how many new checkpoints there are.

Its interesting the way the last year’s attacks on check points are now characterized by the ruling GPC as being carried out by seperatists, not terrorists which was the more convenient land politically efficient abel last year. Thats a first, prior to now they blamed the some version of terrorists and the YSB took credit for quite a few. Soon the ruling party will start calling them southern jihaddist seperatists.

SANAA: A soldier was killed and 14 were wounded when gunmen attacked a police checkpoint in southern Yemen Tuesday, the ruling party said.

Armed men opened fire at the checkpoint in the Habeel Raida district of the Lahj province, around 300 km south of the capital Sanaa, the ruling GPC party reported on its website.

It said the attack took place early in the day, and that security forces launched a manhunt for the attackers.

Officials in Sanaa said the attackers were believed to belonging to the southern opposition that has been leading protests in several southern cities since mid-2007.

Local sources in Lahj said four of the attackers were also injured in a clash that followed the attack.

They said the attackers were apparently protesting the set up of the checkpoint in their area.

The attack is the latest in a series of attacks that targeted military and police posts installed last year in southern cities of the Arabian Peninsula country last year after a wave of violent protests in those areas.

Another case of the regime’s interests dovetailing with AQAP. CBS:

(CBS)A senior Saudi Arabian al Qaeda operative has called on Somali jihadists to step up their attacks on “crusader” forces at sea in the pirate-infested Gulf of Aden, and on land in neighboring Djibouti, which hosts France?s largest military base in Africa. (Read on …)

Similiar to the prior lightweight bombings, more of a message than an attack. Below more on the Ja’ar group and the failure of the truce agreements.

Yemen Post: A bomb blew up on Monday at the fence separating the houses of governor and deputy governor of Abyan province which are located in the province capital of Zunjbar. No injuries were reported with slight damages caused to the two homes. (Read on …)

(Update: My post 12/12/06: Ali al Dailimi’s testimony at a HOOD press conference about being tortured and beaten by the PSO, and 6/3/08 witness testimony of children and adults imprisoned and tortured in relation to the Sa’ada War.)

Some of these prisoners have been in jail for years, snatched off the street and never charged, suspected of Houthism because they are Hashimites:

al Sahwa

Sahwa Net –The Front Line organization has expressed concern over the safety of a Yemeni activist Ali Hussein al-Dailami after he received direct threats and nuisance calls due his role in the ongoing campaign for the release of the detainees related to Saada conflict .

” These threats and harassment are an attempt to hinder his legitimate and peaceful activities in the defence of human rights, especially the rights of the detainees” said Front Line.

The organization cited that al-Dailami received threats from an officer of the Political Security Apparatus(PSA) that he would be detained soon because he went too far in crossing the red lines.

According to the Front Line , al-Dailami had filed a complaint to the Interior Minister and provide a list of telephone number from which he had been receiving threats…Al-Dailami who is the director of the Yemeni Organization for Defending Rights and Democratic Freedoms was imprisoned and tortured in 2006.

If Saleh ordered the Sa’ada prisoners released on 12/08 and they are still in jail, then its either a ploy or he can’t get his own directives implemented.

The presidential order:

The hand written order:

SANA’A, April 08 (Saba)- Sana’a Primary specialized court starts next Sunday prosecuting a second group composed of ten people accused of committing killing and sabotage acts in Bani Husheish district, Sana’a Governorate.

Judicial authorized source told 26 september. net website that the penal court has interrogated 116 accused, 12 of them have been referred to the court last Monday. Next week the prosecution will interrogate other 17.

The source made it clear that those who were brought to justice last Monday and the others who would be presented to the court next Sunday represent a number of the first group which includes 50 accused. The source revealed also that the second group includes 66 while the third group is composed of 17, being interrogated currently.

The source made it clear that the prosecution has released 57 accused for lacking enough proves against them.

Worth to mention that Bani Husheish district witnessed last year sabotage and criminal acts and killings against the citizens of the district and the army individuals by outlaws.

In a televised statement Hassan Nasrallah refutes Saleh’s claim that Hezbollah elements trained the Houthis :

وتوقف عند تصريح الرئيس اليمني علي عبد الله صالح عن حصول الحوثيين على دعم من عناصر في الحزب، وقال: «لا معلومات لدينا عن ما يحصل في اليمن. He stopped at the statement of President Ali Abdullah Saleh Houthis access to support from elements in the party, said: «we have no information about what is happening in Yemen. ولسنا طرفا في هذا الصراع لا من قريب ولا من بعيد، وما أعرفه أن حزب الله منضبط، ولا يوجد عناصر تتصرف من تلقاء أنفسها»، داعيا السلطات اليمنية إلى تقديم أي معلومات عن عناصر مفترضة في الحزب تقوم بتدريب الحوثيين. We are not a party to this conflict, either closely or from afar, and I know that Hezbollah disciplined, and there is no element of acting on their own », calling on the Yemeni authorities to provide any information on the elements in the party is supposed to train Houthis.

Nice, a list. There’s so many attacks lately I lost track…

Recent attacks and threats on journalists and editors in Yemen
Yemen, Politics, 4/6/2009, Arabic News

The organization ARTICLE 19 said last Monday it is monitoring with great concern the most recent pattern of threats and attacks on journalists in Yemen.

“No journalist should be arrested or attacked because of his/her work and opinion,” says Dr. Agnès Callamard, ARTICLE 19 Executive Director. “Authorities should immediately investigate these incidents and provide effective protection to journalists under threat.”

Some of the recent incidents include:

- Managing Editor of Mareb Press, Mohammad Salhi, was abducted on 19 March 2009 by security officers and imprisoned for eight hours before his release. Salhi was arrested for allegedly trying to take photos of the scene where four South Korean tourists were killed and three others wounded in a terrorist attack in the city of Shibam on 14 March – On 23 March Abdel Malek Shrai, journalist for the independent Al-Ayyam daily, was attacked during his coverage of the murder story of the general director of Khdair governorate. He was beaten up, slandered and banned from writing about the case – Mohammad Shar’abi, an editor at the independent Al Diyar newspaper, has received life threatening messages because of his critical writings and opinions. On 24 March his house in Taiz governorate was bombed. Shar’abi had also been attacked before when unknown assailants shot at his house in November 2008 while his family and children were inside – Associated Press correspondent Ahmad Al Haj has also received threatening messages on his mobile phone from a private unknown caller who described him as an agent and mercenary – In addition, independent journalists in Yemen are being prosecuted for simply doing their job. There are six legal cases against the Nasserite newspaper, Al Wahdawi, for publishing stories related to corruption and investigative material

The one positive note in this negative atmosphere is a speech delivered at the Yemeni Journalists Syndicate General Assembly in mid March by Yemen President Ali Abdullah Saleh in which he instructed the government to grant licenses to satellite broadcasting channels and to allow the transmission of private radios to any party who requests it.

Capacity building…

The wing ding Baath anniversary party party drew lots of Syrians of course.

Algomhariah

Yemeni students get first place in the Syrian Military Academy
الجمعة 10 إبريل-نيسان 2009 الساعة 05 مساءً / الجمهورية نت Friday, April 10 – April 2009 at 05 pm / Net Republic

حصل الطالب اليمني رائد / أمين محمد عوض على المركز الاول من الأكاديمية العسكرية السورية العليا دورة ضباط القيادة والأركان. Ali was a student pilot / Secretary of Mohammed Awad, the first place in the academic session of the Supreme Syrian military command and staff officers. (Read on …)

These are not random cases of rape. Its an organized system of forced prostitution. In Taiz, there’s a substantial number of babies born to women who were in jail for more than a year.

Yemen Post

Newborns of female prisoners at Yemen’s central jails are subjected to be sold, an organization interested in prisoner affairs said on Saturday.
The Sajeen Organization said at a symposium on female prisoners in Yemen that most prisoners are tortured at jails and sometimes raped.
And when they try to protest maltreatment and illegal acts they are threatened by officials at the jails.

Chairman of the organization said a daughter, named Muntaha, was sold in August 2008 for YR 15,000 that went for her mother and $5000 for her father who works in Sana’a.

Many others abuse issues of female prisoners in the country go unreported, lawyer Abdul Rahman Berman said. Female prisoners face difficult moments during investigations as they are prevented from hiring lawyers.

For her part, Amal Al-Basha, Chairwoman of the Sisters Forum said violations against female prisoner rights take place with permission from the leadership.

She added that human rights organizations and activists are prevented from meeting female prisoners in the country, criticizing arrest and imprisonment measures.

Many are jailed over honor charges and when a female inmate ends her term she finds none to help here and house her. As a result, many female inmates turn into bad community assets.

Related, in Yemen if you don’t have someone to bring you food or money in jail, then you don’t eat

Sahwa Net – Yemeni human rights groups have demanded the Yemeni government to lift suffers of Yemen’s prisoners resulted in by government reducing to food and care expanses allotted to them.

In a letter to President Saleh, the groups which included HOOD , the Arab Sister Forum , Prisoner Organization and human rights activists demanded to grant prisoners all their rights guaranteed by the constitution and law.

Munier al Mawari makes several excellent points on the situation in Ja’ar in this article at Newomma. The tribal relations between the al Fahdli jihaddists and the Yafai jihaddists is an important consideration. Al Muwari lists several advantages of the operations for the regime including strengthening the grip of al Fahdli, heightening southern conflicts, the appearance of fighting militants to the western audience, moving more military equipment into the South, and consolidating control of land among Saleh’s family. He also notes the Fahdli contingent of the jihaddists has a much closer relationship with bin Laden and AQ central than these younger jihaddists. Al Muwari notes the security forces operation is led by the Defense Minister, who is from Abyan and has good ties with al Fahli. The ten arrested are all of the Yafia tribe.

تناقلت المواقع الإخبارية اليمنية يوم الثامن والعشرين من مارس 2009 خبرا عاجلا مصدره محافظة أبين في جنوب اليمن نصه كما يلي: “كلف الرئيس علي عبدالله صالح وزير دفاعه اللواء الركن محمد ناصر أحمد قيادة حملة عسكرية قوامها عشرات الأطقم العسكرية، ليشرف شخصياً على الحملة الأمنية التي بدأتها وزارة الداخلية لتعقب عدد من الجهاديين في مدينة جعار ثاني كبرى مدن محافظة أبين، وإنهاء حالة الفلتان الأمني التي تشهدها المدينة منذ عدة شهور”. هذا هو
ملخص الخبر، فما هي خلفياته الحقيقية، التي قد تتبادر إلى ذهن أي محلل سياسي خارج اليمن، أو حتى أذهان الدبلوماسيين الأجانب المطلعين على أسرار اليمن من داخلها، ولهذا يلزم توضيح الحقائق والخفايا التالية: أولا: الحملة العسكرية التي يقودها وزير الدفاع لا تستهدف الجهاديين من اتباع طارق الفضلي المنتمي مناطقيا وقبليا إلى أبين، بل تستهدف تقوية الفضلي ضد عناصر أخرى منافسة محسوبة على الجهاد، معظمهم ينتمون إلى آل عاطف من أبناء يافع، ولا يربطهم بالفضلي سوى الصراع على الأراضي حيث أن الأراضي الواقعة شمالي مدينة جعار هي تابعة ليافع تاريخيا، (Read on …)

This would be funny except the guy got a death sentence.

Sanaa, 23 March (AKI) – Yemeni Bassal al-Haidari was sentenced to death by the country’s special criminal court in Sanaa on Monday after being found guilty of contacting Israel’s outgoing prime minister Ehud Olmert and offering to collaborate with Israel. (Read on …)

Again? Did this happen last month or is it a new confrontation between the Coast Guard and the Border Guard? Its a current article, so maybe its a second occurence.

Sahwa Net – Confrontations have erupted between border guards and coast guards in Lohia district ,Hodaida, as coast guards conducted check campaign on boats suspected that they were carried with smuggled commodities.

Local sources said clashes broke out when border guards prevented coast guards from checking fishing boats in Lohia .

The source explained that border guards harbored smugglers , pointing out that trafficking is carried out regularly as border guards protect smugglers.

Yemen Post has more: (Read on …)

Not even on a per case basis when in hot pursuit, Yemen Observer:

Yemen has denied foreign navies access to Yemen’s territorial waters whilst in pursuit of pirates. Yemen’s Deputy-Foreign Minister for Arab, Asian and African Affairs Ali al-Ayashi, denied the news currently being circulated by some websites that quoted a French diplomatic source saying the Yemeni government had permitted foreign warships to chase pirate vessels into its territorial waters on a case-by-case basis when Yemen is unable to act.

Al-Ayashi said these claims were baseless, and go directly against the sovereignty of Yemen. “The issue of fighting piracy by foreign ships in Yemen’s territorial waters is baseless, and Yemen has never agreed to any such procedures,” said al-Ayashi. He added that Yemen had affirmed many times that it would fight piracy in its territorial waters through the use of Coast Guard patrols, and through joint-operations between the Yemeni Navy and Coast Guard.
(Read on …)

As foreign jihaddists coalesce in Sa’ada, it certainly is starting to look like the Zawahiri deal is coming to fruition. The deal with the old jihaddists in Abyan under al-Fadhli is likely Saleh’s second prong of mobilization.

The influx of foreign jihaddists to Sa’ada as well as the structure, training and hierarchy being imposed on them, indicates this a non-random confluence. It quite possibly is an outcome of the communication between President Saleh and Ayman Zawahiri that I referenced here before. (Zawahrir promised fighters for the Sa’ada war in exchange for Saleh’s release of prisoners and who knows what else.) Of course, the gathering of foreign jihaddists could be the result of simultaneous decisions by hundreds of random zealots, but it seems unlikely in the context of the intercept and subsequent events.

Saleh (again) letting the jihaddists loose on the Houthi “supporters”, a vague term that neo-Salafi fanatics may extend to the entire civilian population, is a troubling prospective scenario. However, if and when Zawahiri’s jihaddists fight in Sa’ada, in all likelihood that blood will only be the glitter on the surface of their multi-faceted activities.

For the US to support an ally engaged in a state sponsored jihad, and that’s not a stretch of linguistics, is morally repugnant. If that jihad has the material support of al Qaeda Central, its unconscionable. Unfortunately, the group-think of analysis on Yemen views Saleh as a self-described victim with little culpability and basically good intentions, and defines all these relationships in the most benign terms possible, leaving the strategic scope of events unexplored and unimagined. In fact, Saleh is a very shrewd man and the extent of his duplicity, greed and ruthlessness should never be underestimated. He is the King of Spin and a master deal maker, and he’s doing it again.

al-Tajamo Local sources in Saada information to establish a single camp for Islamic Jihad confirmed the members of various Arab nationalities as well as citizens from different provinces, the sources said, “assembly” that the arrival of these groups has a marked intensity in recent weeks, pointing to the emergence of striking the Salafist groups (Wahhabism) in the city of Saada, and effort to build a center for Yemeni al-Qaeda in Yemen.
وافادت المصادر بان عناصر تنتمي الى ما يسمى بتنظيم الجهاد عقدت خلال الايام الماضية سلسلة من الاجتماعات تطرقت الى برامج التوجيه والتدريس والارشاد, واوضحت ان العمل على تنشيط مركز خاص بذلك الى جانب المعسكر يجري تحت مظلة شخصية قبلية واسلامية نافذة في صعدة, على صعيد متصل كانت وكالة فرانس برس” بثت تقريراً مطولاً حول علاقة السلطة في صنعاء بالسلفيين اوضحت فيه ان السلطة رأت في هؤلاء فرصة لكسر سطوة السادة على قبائل محافظة صعدة وقد دعمت نشاطهم في اغلاق مدارس ومكتبات زيدية وعبر تعيين خطباء سلفيين في جوامع زيدية, واشارت الوكالة الى تدفق الارهابيين على اليمن بعد ان اشتدت حملات ملاحقتهم في السعودية وبعد ان طردوا من افغانستان. The sources added that the elements belonging to the so-called Jihad, the organization held during the past few days a series of meetings touched on the orientation programs, teaching and guidance, and said that work on the revitalization of a special status to the camp by being under the umbrella of a tribal and Islamic window in Saada.

Also see the Yemen Times article down a bit for more reporting. The YT describes “thousands” of jihaddists in Sa’ada who are Yemenis and non-Yemenis from neighboring Arab and non-Arab countries.

So how are they supposed to get their back pay?

Yemen Post: Tens have been arrested when police broke up on Tuesday a strike by the employees of the Aden branch of the Yemen oil company.

Many other employees and people of those whose homes are close to the company complex, including children, were injured when police fired live bullets and used tear gas to disperse the protesting workers who began a full-scale strike last Saturday demanding financial rights. (Read on …)

This is quite common, not just with al-Qaeda suspects. Unidentified security forces snatch people off the street and they can be held for quite some time without explanation. Some of the Sa’ada prisoners were detained in a similiar manner.

Secret detention sites in Yemen for Al-Qaeda Suspects
Radhia Khairan-Editor: Jane Novak-HOOD online

Persons suspected of affiliation with al Qaeda in Yemen are often subjected to illegal arrest procedures, incommunicado detention and sometimes remain incarcerated without evidence or even a trial. One such case involves the forced disappearance of three members of the al-Gholi family on February 24.

Security officials gained access to the al-Gholi residence under false pretenses. Two armed officers in civilian clothes knocked at the door at 3:30 am and said they had seen a thief at the roof of the house. Mr. Qasim Ali Qasim al-Gholi was immediately handcuffed when he opened the door. The officers failed to identify themselves but are thought to be members of the Political Security Organization.
(Read on …)

The US and counter-piracy coalition noticed the substantial support for Somalia piracy coming from Yemen. And it is substantial, including weapons, diesel, use of territorial waters, phone service, ship coordinates etc. Earlier the UN monitoring group noted the nexus of piracy, human smuggling from Somalia to Yemen and the weapons smuggling from Yemen to Somalia on the return trip. The US Admiral is careful to make the point that the support is coming from private individuals, when actually all substantial criminal networks in Yemen are tied to the highest levels of the Yemeni regime. The US hopes for Yemeni governmental support in diminishing logistical aid to the pirates.

The Economist notes the enmeshing of criminal gangs and Mukallah’s importance in particular: It is said that pirates from Somalia and Yemen have now teamed up with smuggling gangs elsewhere in Africa to conduct illicit trade through Yemeni ports such as Mukalla and Belhaf with coalition force having only occasional success, piracy is plainly spreading more widely across the Indian Ocean.

Good. We noted that Mukallah port was an important entry point for drugs and exit point for weapons in 2005: One regionally destabilizing regime activity is drug smuggling. A variety of illegal drugs are smuggled via the Indian Ocean into the southern Yemeni governate of Hadramawt. The drugs are then transported inland to Saudi Arabia and the Gulf States under the supervision of a close relative of the president who is also responsible for the governmental security apparatus, a well informed former regime official reported.

The 10 tons of hashish was coming in through Mukallah. I noted in the Yemen Times that Makallah is not under the authority of the Coast Guard yet:

Increased activity by the Yemeni Coast Guard between Aden and al Mukalla impacted arms shipments from ports in the patrolled areas. However, the monitoring group found that the lack of regular patrols in al Mukalla “means that arms traffic continues unabated.” The group recommended capacity building programs for the Coast Guard and direct naval interdiction.

Yemen’s coast line extends 1906 km. The Coast Guard, created in 2003, is working towards taking control of Mocha and al Mukalla from the military. The Republican Guard and Central Security forces have authority at ports where the Coast Guard has limited presence.

The Republican Guard is under the direction of Prince Ahmed and the Central Security is under Yahya Saleh, the “close presidential relative” referenced in the 2005 article above. The US says the logistical support for the pirates is undertaken by private individuals. ,

Reuters The international community should work with Yemen to stop its people supplying Somali pirates who are disrupting lucrative international shipping routes, a senior U.S. admiral said on Monday. Somali pirates, who have disrupted lucrative international shipping trade, are getting fuel and engine parts from individuals in Yemen, Admiral Mark Fitzgerald, a Nato commander and the top U.S naval officer for Africa, told Reuters….”The fuel for instance, is coming from Yemen, a lot of the logistic supplies, things like motor boat engines (too)… And so we just need work with the government there to start tightening up controls,” Fitzgerald said.

“Its (support) not from the Yemen government, its from people in Yemen,” Fitzgerald said on the sidelines of an African naval conference in Cape Town, without giving further details.

Every village has a security informant, might as well give them a task. Also NDI discusses the military domicile issue.

NDI For male registrants who are unable to provide one of these four forms of identification, the election law stipulates that an
amin or aqel2 may testify to the registering voter’s identity and eligibility.

2 The Amin or Aqel is a male dignitary who resides in each precinct and is normally associated with the security services, providing them with reports on major events in the neighborhood.

Registration of Ineligible Persons
As in 2002 and 2006, monitors observed significant numbers of underage children being registered to vote. Nearly 40 percent of field commissioners told monitors that they would register underage voters if directed by the amin/aqel (those persons responsible for attesting as to the eligibility of citizens who lacked identity documents). Monitors witnessed amins/aqels testifying that clearly underage voters were of-age to register, and in some instances observed amins/aqels accepting payment in exchange for their testimony. Monitors also observed other community leaders pressuring commissioners to register ineligible voters, including underage voters, voters without any identification and, in once instance, those without Yemeni citizenship.

Role of the Security Committee and Military
Monitors reported witnessing security personnel in some areas interfering in the work of the registration committees. In some instances security personnel gave instructions to committee members on which voters to register and allowed registering voters to carry weapons into the registration centers. In addition, monitors reported seeing large numbers of military personnel bused to
registration centers, the majority of whom were changing their voting domicile. While the impact of high numbers of military registrations in select districts cannot be determined, the registrations could give the impression that military personnel are being used to influence voter demographics in specific constituencies and could be in violation of Article 4:f of the election law.

Not just the journalists barred at the gate, poor Najoud can’t leave either. The idiot regime doesn’t realize that her story is one of courage and progress and reflects very well on Yemen, or how stupid they look saying she is too young to get on a plane when Parliament hasn’t ratified the change in the law for the minimum marriage age.

VIENNA — Yemen has barred a former child bride from being honored in Austria, saying she is too young to travel alone. When she was less than 10 years old, the girl was forced to marry a man at least three times her age. After being raped and abused by him, she successfully filed for divorce and traveled abroad to talk about her ordeal.

(Read on …)

The more there is to report, the more the journalists get beat up. Yemen Times:

SANA’A, Feb. 24 — The fourth press freedoms report recently issued by Women Journalists Without Chains indicates that press violations in Yemen are on the rise.

In 2005 there were 53 violations and in 2006 the number reached nearly 67 violations. In 2007 the violations increased to 112, and in 2008 the number shot up to 248 violation cases, which is about five incidents in one week. (Read on …)

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 …)

Photo shop? They want to photoshop? Retards. They hacked the webiste and put a photo of a monkey after a report citing the national mafia (the government). This website,, Akbaralasr:

GVOL: Mohamed Al-Jabali, the editor of Akhbaralasr news website is the latest casualty in a wave of intimidations targeting bloggers and online journalists in Yemen. In a statement made yesterday, Al-Jabali appealed for protection after receiving death threats in the capital Sanaa from the regime’s security apparatus. This comes just after his website was also hacked. The hackers, whom Al-Jabali said are elements of the regime, published a sarcastic entry on the front page with a picture of a monkey and an insult on the owner of the website Al-Jabali.

Al-Jabali said the regime was angered by his online reports on peaceful anti-government political activities in the Tihama region in the West of the country. The website had articles critical of the regime’s handling of the economy and a recent article highlighted a call to end the ‘national investment mafias’ in the country. (Read on …)

The poor people. The state comes, knocks down your house and sells your land for a park, and there’s nothing to do about it because the authorities you would appeal to are the ones driving the backhoe.

The concentration of land “ownership” substantial and growing due to the daily confiscation of private property. Its not just political and commercial monopolies.

Yemen Post: Dozens of families in the western province of Hudaida have been left homeless after backhoes that were guarded by many troops destroyed their homes in a north area in the province. Websites said that the area was largely devastated as the backhoes eliminated everything; the people’s homes along with all properties at them.

The people in the area were shocked because they were not notified before that such measure would be taken.

As the backhoes were accompanied by many troops from the Central Security Forces, the appeals of the people were met by oppression.

Influential officials tried many times before to take over our lands in this area and displace us but they failed and now they came supported by government orders to do so, people in the area said. (Read on …)

This guy is on trial??? He’s the one whose house got shot up and one guard was killed after publishing news about the protests in the south. This is absurd. Another poster child for Yemen’s democracy.

On January 18, the Yemeni newspaper Al-Ayyan carried the following report: “Saira first degree court held its first sessions for three publishing cases filed against Al-Ayyam by Journalism and Publications Prosecution, on behalf of Abd al-Salam Shuwayter, head of Central Body for Censorship and Accountability, Hadramawt branch, and Himiar Abd al-Khalik and Adil Asbahi.

“Our colleague Hisham Bashrahil, the editor, and the defence, which comprised nine lawyers, stood before the court. The lawyers include Muhammad Mahmud Nasirr, Badr Salmin Basnid, Munir Abdallah Jaradah, Ali Abd al-Rahman A’uli, Salih Qasim Amri, Salih Ziban, Adnan Shaykh Mansur Jinaydi, Muhammad Abd al-Karim Amrawi, and Jasar Faruk Mikawi. (Read on …)

Yes Ali Abdullah Saleh is jumping on the ball with demonstrable counter-terror measures, the standard routine that includes:

a) beat up people with names that sound like Zawahiri:

Sahwa Net – A Yemeni citizen ,Mohammad al-Zahiri, has been cruelly assaulted by security forces in Dhala governorate on grounds of his affiliation to al-Qaeda and kinship to Al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahi. Mohammad al-Zahiri told Sahwa Net that he was attacked as security forces suspected his name which is close to al-Zawhiri’s name.

2) Accuse the opposition of supporting al-Qaeda, which is just fricking hysterical considering all the dithering the regime is doing:

almotamar.net – Head of the political office at the General People’s Congress GPC Abdullah Ahmed Ghanim accused the Islah and Yemen Socialist Party YSP of embracing terrorist groups and promoting for their extremist ideas via their own papers with the aim of hindering the democratic process and parliamentary elections through the4 attempt for destabilizing security and stability.

In a statement to 26september.net Saturday he clarified that the Joint Meeting parties JMP want to go into alliance with extremist forces of the al-Qaeda, advocates of secession and rebels through what they term conference of national consultation in order to impede the parliamentary elections.

Mr Ghanim added the consultative conference planned for by the JMP is only for creation of a new political alliance groups , beside the parties of the JMP, the remaining of al-Houthi insurgents in Sada and those promoting for the culture of hatred and secession in the southern and eastern governorates in addition to representatives of the extremist and terrorist currents which the Islah party has lately adopted through highlighting anti-democracy views of those forces in the Annas and Al-Thawri newspapers.

3) Make announcements including a vow to hunt down the 4000 persons wanted by security.

almotamar.net - Yemen Ministry of Interior announced Sunday the implementation of a large-scale campaign for hunting down the wanted for security as a part of a plan dawn up by the Ministry and carried out in all governorates of Yemen.

Minister of Interior General Mutahar Rashad al-Misri said in the past few days the security apparatuses captured about 30 persons of the wanted by security , the latest of whom three persons of terrorist elements caught in Al-Baidha after they managed to escape from security men chasing in the governorate of Shabwa . He added that among those captured are accused of sabotage, kidnapping and killing crimes. He said about 4000 persons wanted by the security will be hunted down according to the Ministry’s plan

Other announcments include, typically, strong Yemeni-Saudi cooperation, hunting operations and arrests.

Its going swimmingly well.

.

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 …)

Update: now its three people tried to pass the embassy checkpoint and no shots fired at the embassy. The police fired in the air to stop the car from fleeing.

Update 2: US version, Yemeni security forces “exchanged gunfire with an unknown group of individuals in the vicinity of the U.S. embassy,” State Department spokesman Gordon Duguid said in Washington.

“The exact circumstances and motivations behind this incident are unclear, and an investigation is ongoing,” he said, adding that no U.S. personnel were harmed and the embassy was not damaged.

Update 3: Three arrested. OK so let review, they send an email and also call to say there will be an attack. Yemeni security sets up an extra parimeter. Three guys drive up and try to get past the check point. The Yemeni guards shoot in the air and the three surrender with no injuries to anyone. gee…

Original Post:

AP reports that the US embassy received a threat of an attack today, by both phone and email. Several hours later, a gunman shoots at a police checkpoint. The car fled. Does that make sense? Since when does al Qaeda email notice of an impending assualt?

SAN’A, Yemen – Gunmen in a car fired on a police checkpoint near the U.S. Embassy in Yemen’s capital on Monday, an Interior Ministry official said, hours after the embassy received threats of a possible attack.
Police returned fire at two gunmen in the car, which fled the scene, the official said. It was unclear if anyone was injured. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he is not allowed to speak to the press. He said three men in the area were detained.

An attack on the embassy in September involving gunmen and explosives-packed vehicles killed 17 people, including six militants. Al-Qaida later claimed responsibility for that attack…Earlier, a Yemeni security official said the U.S. Embassy received a telephone call and an e-mail early Monday saying the U.S. and Russian embassies would be targeted by al-Qaida within a few hours.

al Sahwa Yemeni authorities keep holding Yemeni journalist Wajdi al-Shabi who was arrested while he was covering a rally held in Aden on Tuesday.

Al-Shabi was abusively taken to the criminal investigation of Aden and was charged with involving in confrontations with the authorities last year.

Al-Watan newspaper which al-Shabi belongs to demanded to immediately release its journalist, holding the security responsible for its life.

A press Release on the Leading Journalist and Writer, Hussein al-Lasoss’s Attack and Detention

Issued by: HOOD and WJWC

This is a press release issued by both HOOD and Women Journalists without Chains Organization (WJWC), regarding the attack exposed to the journalist and writer Hussein al-Lasoss by al-Baida province mayor’s bodyguards. Mr. Hussien was barbarically attacked and arbitrarily incarcerated with no legal justification.

Press Release

HOOD and WJWC express their deep concerns about the current miserable health status of Mr. Hussein al-Lasoss, as he is reported to have a serious injury in his head and sustain several contusions on his body as well. Mr. Hussien was barbarically attacked and arbitrarily incarcerated with no legal justification.

Al-Lasoss was kidnapped and beaten by the mayor’s bodyguards of al-Baida province. He was dragged last Thursday to the mayor’s house and then transferred to the Security Administration of al-Baida province’s prison and apprehended there to date. Mr. Hussein al-Lasoss is one of the leading journalists and the editor–in-chief of al-Baida Press website.

HOOD and WJWC also condemn this blatant physical assault and reiterate that this attack was due to his writings about corruption in al-Baida province, and believe that it comes under a systematic and organized campaign targeting writers and journalists.

HOOD believes that Mr. Hussein was attacked because of his opinion which is protected by the Yemeni constitution.

HOOD and WJWC, therefore, urge the Attorney–General to do his entitled legal duty in protecting individuals, particularly journalists from attacks and violations. They moreover call upon Attorney–General to issue an executive order of Hussein’s release and start an unbiased serious investigation with the perpetrators.

As they also call upon the Minister of Interior to proceed an investigation with the participation of Civil Society Organizations and Journalists Syndicate on the assaults and threats subjected to activists, journalists and writers by its security authorities and to take a legal action against those involved in such attacks.

HOOD and WJWC hold both the Security chief the mayor of al-Baida responsible for this attack and call upon the local community to investigate their involvement.

Finally, HOOD and WJWC call for instant release of the leading active journalist and bringing the perpetrators who attacked him and those in responsible for his outlaw detention to justice.

Issued by HOOD and WJWC

Sat. Junaury24, 2009

The cycle spirals on and on. The regime shoots and arrests protesters, triggering more protests, more arrests and murders. Nothing is resolved and tensions increase. You might think that after two years, the government might try something different. But no, that might cut into someone’s profit margin.

The road between Sana’a and Aden is blocked for the second day by protesters in Lahj, the Yemen Post reports, “These people are preventing cars and passengers from crossing this road, demanding the release of innocents authorities arrested yesterday at the rally.” There’s a large mobilization of troops in Radfan, Yafe and Dhalie. Al-Motamar notes one person was killed by a hand grenade in Dahlie after a protest was broken up by security forces. There were more arrests and injuries.

Five seriously injured from gunfire, dozens ill from tear gas and over 50 arrested.

IHT: Riot police in Yemen wounded five demonstrators in the southern city of Aden when they opened fire to disperse a crowd of thousands of army veterans demanding their old jobs back, said Yemeni hospital officials….After Yemen’s 1994 civil war, many soldiers from the southern part of the country fled to neighboring Saudi Arabia, returning only when the government issued an amnesty and promised to readmit them to the army — a promise southern Yemenese say has not been kept.

That’s not actually what’s going on. Since the civil war, southerners allege they have been treated like a vanquished enemy. Protests in the south broke out a year ago calling for an end to the discrimination and theft of property. The Yemeni regime, dominated by President Saleh’s family and northern tribal allies, responded with violence and arrests, further inflaming tensions. Public opinion developed a strong separatist sentiment in light of the fact that the government is unable and unwilling to reform. Yemen is in the bottom five for poverty globally, largely a result of massive corruption, and child hunger is at a critical level. The following video shows people being shot in the street earlier today and is graphic. This happens at nearly every protest, security forces randomly shooting into the crowd. Here is the link and to follow the embedded version.

Update: Back-up copy of the vid available. Thanks Howie!

Update 2: One dead, four wounded, 50 arrested.

ISRIA

Yemen, US discuss ports security
Minister of Transport Khalid al-Wazir discussed here on Monday with Deputy Chief of U.S. Mission to Yemen Angie Bryan coordinating efforts between the two countries in field of ports’ security.

The meeting dealt with exchanging visits between the two friendly countries and how the Yemeni part could availing from the American experiences in fields of maritime transport and ports security.

Good! After they finish discussing weapons smuggling to Somalia, maybe they can ask Saleh’s nephew to shut down that dock that recieves the drugs.

I’m joking of course.

Syrian drug smuggling into Lebanon is a major source of funding, and drug smuggling through Yemen into the Gulf is a well-established route for all those keptagon tablets, kilos of hash etc.

Yemeni-Syrian security committee holds 1st mission

[06 January 2009]

SANA’A , Jan. 06 (Saba) – The first talks session of the Yemen-Syrian security committee started on Tuesday in Sana’a.

The session was chaired by Undersecretary of Interior Minster for General Security Major General Mohammed al-Qawsi and Assistant of Syrian Interior Minister for Organizing and Training Affairs Major General Ibrahim Salman Ali .

The two dealt with the bilateral security cooperation, particularly coordinating aspects in fighting terrorism, organized crime, and drugs as well as the areas of training and qualification, discussing the special procedures for facilitating the entering and departing process and residence of people between the two brotherly countries.

After the first session, the Syrian delegation paid a visit to the Counter-Terrorism Unit in the Central Security Forces and got acquainted with its tasks, achievements and establishing phases, praising the unit’s role in fighting terrorism and expressing their admiration in the advanced level to which the unit reached in its training and combating terrorist crimes .

Yemen Online

Coast Guard Forces and Border Guards integrated.
YemenOnline. Sunday 25, 2009 – The President of the Republic, H.E. Ali Salih, declared yesterday that the Coast Guard Forces and Border Guards are intended to be combined into one authority reporting to the Ministry of Interior.In his speech delivered at the opening ceremony of the Ministry of Interior Leadership’s 19th Conference under the motto “Homeland’s security is a national and collective responsibility”, he said” We have recruited 1000 soldiers to enhance security capacities of Coast Guard Forces (CGFs) in particular after the recent increase of marine piracy.” In addition, these forces are to be provided with the necessary arms and equipments.

al-Hadath

Local sources said Ja’ar in the city of Abyan province, the “mujahideen”, or Army of Aden Abyan know, chasing young people in the region and to provide that those accused of killing young gay ومن ” المثليين ” It is “gay”

وأضافت المصادر لـ ” الحدث ” أن المجاهدين المسلحين أقدموا على قتل 3 أشخاص حتى الآن بذات التهمة ، وسط صمت من قبل الأجهزة الأمنية وعلى مرأى ومسمع من الجميع . The sources said the “event” that the Mujahideen militants they killed 3 people so far the same charge, amid the silence of the security organs and the eyes and ears of everyone. مشيراً إلى أن هؤلاء المجاهديـن يسيطرون على منطقة جعار وينتقلون فيها بأسلحتهم بطريقة أشبه بالحكم الذاتي . He pointed out that the Mujahideen Ja’ar control of the region and move the way their arms like a self-governing. (Read on …)

Maybe Saleh can ask Assad to extradite the Yemeni Fatah al-Islami who was on Syrian TV in November taking responsibility for the September Damascus terror attack. He’s pretty much served his purpose already.

Sana’a to host Yemeni-Syrian security cooperation meetings

(Saba) - Sana’a is to host the Yemeni-Syrian permanent committee 3rd meeting to follow up security cooperation agreement between the two countries which is to be held during January 5-8.

The Syrian participating delegation in the meeting would arrive in Sana’a on Monday, the day the first session of meetings would start under the auspices of
Minister of Interior Mutahar Rashad al-Masri.

Deputy Minister of Interior for general security sector, head of Yemeni side in the meeting, said that during the meetings a number of subjects relating to developing cooperation ties between the two countries and steps accomplished on this regard would be discussed.

He confirmed that the meeting will open new horizons in front of security cooperation between Yemen and Syria to serve the two countries security.

Meanwhile Syrian drug smuggling into Lebanon is a major activity.

Yemeni-Syrian security committee holds 1st mission

[06 January 2009]

SANA’A , Jan. 06 (Saba) – The first talks session of the Yemen-Syrian security committee started on Tuesday in Sana’a.

The session was chaired by Undersecretary of Interior Minster for General Security Major General Mohammed al-Qawsi and Assistant of Syrian Interior Minister for Organizing and Training Affairs Major General Ibrahim Salman Ali .

The two dealt with the bilateral security cooperation, particularly coordinating aspects in fighting terrorism, organized crime, and drugs as well as the areas of training and qualification, discussing the special procedures for facilitating the entering and departing process and residence of people between the two brotherly countries.

After the first session, the Syrian delegation paid a visit to the Counter-Terrorism Unit in the Central Security Forces and got acquainted with its tasks, achievements and establishing phases, praising the unit’s role in fighting terrorism and expressing their admiration in the advanced level to which the unit reached in its training and combating terrorist crimes .

Yemen Post

The State Specialized Penal Prosecution has just completed its investigations with three people accused of spying for Israel and their case will soon be referred to the Penal Court for trial.

Informed official sources revealed that the three individuals admitted to their crime, spying for the Israeli intelligence, Mossad. The sources added that the suspects used to contact the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office and Israeli Intelligence Agencies and showed readiness to provide them with information over the net.

Moreover, the Israelis accepted the suspects’ offer; however, they conditioned that they work regionally for them and not just to provide information about Yemen.

Two months ago, a security source noted that the terrorist cell whose members were arrested last October, belonging to Islamic Jihad Organizations have connections with the Israeli intelligence, hinting that the organizations have posted different threats to target foreign and Arab embassies in Yemen including the embassies of Saudi Arabia, America, Britain and United Arab Emirates.

The source also revealed correspondence between one of the cell members and Israel where the former sought financial support to launch terrorist operations in Yemen.

U.S. suggests Yemen to shift counter-terrorism file to Central Security
Sahwa Net – The U.S. ambassador to Yemen Stephen Seche suggested in a meeting with Yemen’s Interior Minister Mutahar al-Masri on Saturday to shift Yemen’s counter-terrorism file to Yemen’s Central Security organization, said a well-informed source that pleaded anonymity.

The source also said that the proposal was discussed during the meeting in which Seche praised the Central Security Organization which belongs to the Interior Ministry.

For his part, Al-Misiry visited on Sunday the Central Security Organization exalting it and its acts against terror.

The U.S State Department had banned U.S. diplomats and other government from all Western hotels in Yemen because of threats of terrorism advising, in the meantime, U.S. citizens to take caution and prudent security measures.

Yemen Times

Public prosecutors in the Appeals Court said this week that Ahmed bin Hassan Bin Mu’aili, a controversial figure detained since 1998 for counterfeiting passports, is not actually Yemeni and is putting the country’s safety is at risk. He is known as the first person to file a civil lawsuit against President Ali Abdullah Saleh.

Bin Mu’aili, who was held in prison without trial for nine years, was tried in 2007 in Special Penal Court, which deals with political and security cases, and was found guilty of counterfeiting passports. He is currently appealing the verdict. (Read on …)

www.alghadyem.net

Received an official note tomorrow to complain about the Coast Guard and the Customs Directorate of the coastal province of Hodeidah beard that their employees are threatened by the border guards prevented from carrying out their duties in the seizure and prosecution of smugglers of petroleum products, sheep from Africa across the coast of the Directorate.
وأوضح مصدر محلي مسؤول في المديرية، فضل عدم الكشف عن هويته، بأنه قد تم إبلاغ الجهات المعنية بالمحافظة والعاصمة بالقضية، إلا أنه لم يتم اتخاذ الإجراءات القانونية لوقف عمليات التهريب، ومحاسبة حرس الحدود المرابطين في المنطقة ممن يقومون بحماية المهربين بالتعاون مع مجموعة من مشائخ المنطقة المتنفذين. The source said a local official in the Directorate, on condition of anonymity, that he had been informed stakeholders and to maintain the capital case, however, are not taken legal action to stop the smuggling operations, and to hold the border guards stationed in the region who were protecting the smugglers in collaboration with a group of the region Mchaik powerful.
وأكد المصدر بأن ظاهرة تهريب الأغنام والمشتقات النفطية إلى بلادنا من إفريقيا تسير بوتيرة عالية وبصورة علنية عبر سواحل المديرية، وخاصة في خور المديرية ومرسى العلوي دون أي حسيب أو رقيب، وبحماية من حرس الحدود المتواجدين في المنطقة، والذين يقومون بمنع أفراد خفر السواحل والجمارك بالمديرية من مزاولة أعمالهم في مكافحة التهريب وضبط المهربين وهم في حالة تلبس، كما يمنعونهم من ترقيم القوارب اليمنية والأجنبية والكشف عليها أو تفتيشها. The source added that the smuggling of sheep and oil derivatives in the country of Africa is moving quickly across the public and the coast of the Directorate, particularly in the Directorate and the creek without any upper berth total impunity, and to protect the border guards who are in the area, who are members of the prevention of the Coast Guard and the Customs Directorate of the to operate in the fight against smuggling and smugglers who are controlling in the case of flagrante delicto, and prevented the boats from the numbering of the Yemeni and foreign disclosure or inspection.

WOMEN JOURNALISTS WITHOUT CHAINS EXPRESS IT’S SOLIDARITY WITH STUDENTS MOVEMENT ACTIVISTS AND CONDEMNS VIOLENT AGGRESSION ON JOURNALISTS AND CITIZENS EXERTING THEIR RIGHTS OF PEACEFUL ASSEMBLING AND MOVEMENT EXPRESSION.

Women Journalists Without Chains ( WJWC) pursue the frightening degradation of rights and freedoms in Yemen, on its frontage students freedoms and opinion and expression freedoms in its twins press freedoms and freedom of assembly and movement expression.

While WJWC condemns what is facing the students movement in the universities of Sana’a, Aden and Taiz, such illegal arresting and aggressions by security institutions due to political working, WJWC also detest security systems surrounding students the settled students in collogues of Aden University today 29-11-2008 for participating the anniversary of 30th of November and pointing fire guns at their faces. (Read on …)

Al-Khaiwani was scheduled to speak on a panel called : Oblique Government Tactics that Impede a Free Arab Press when he was stopped at the airport. So this is one tactic: Not to let them travel. The rest of the Yemeni delegation has an impromptu sit-in in solidarity and none of them went. Its amazing how terrified the Yemeni government is of free speech. Poor al-Khaiwani gets targeted so much, he has his own category. The whole country is a giant prison.

SANA’A, NewsYemen

Yemeni National Security at the Sana’a International Airport on Sunday barred journalist AbdulKarim from heading for Cairo of Egypt to participate in a conference organized by the National Council for Human Rights in cooperation with the United Nations Human Rights Commissioner.

MP Shawqi al-Qadhi, lawyer Mohammad Naji Alaw, editor of al-Nida weekly Sami Ghalib, former chairman of the Yemeni Journalists Syndicate AbdulBari Taher and rights activist Afra’a al-Hariri were also barred to leave with al-Khaiwani. They condemned this “illegal” demeanor and staged a sit-in at the airport for hours.

Rights activists said the airport security’s behavior was a violation of laws and constitution as al-Khaiwani has been pardoned by President Saleh and all convictions against him have been canceled.

A source in the National Security said that banning al-Khaiwani from travel was on a request of the Passports Department at the airport.

Head of Yemeni Lawyers Syndicate, Abdullah Rajeh, said nobody has the right to prevent al-Khaiwani from traveling after he was given an amnesty for all charges against him.

The Arab Sisters Forum has condemned this “aggressive” action against al-Khaiwani who has become free after the president’s pardon.

Sahwa Net

Several journalists and activists were attacked by Yemen’s security on Thursday while they were trying to cover a massive rally calling for a boycott of up-coming parliamentary elections.

During the protest, journalists including Saeed Thabit , the deputy chairman of the Yemeni Journalist Syndicate, Twakol Karman, chair of Women Journalists Without Borders organization, Abdul-Star Bajash , editing manager of News Yemen website , Abdu Aish , a correspondent of Aljazeera.net , and Saleh al-Soraimi, a correspondent of Sahwa Net , all were violated and beaten.

Furthermore, chairman of Teacher Syndicate Ahmed al-Rabhil along with dozens activists and opposition supporters were arrested. Over 20 protestors were wounded including four critically in the protest which was faced live bullets and batons.

An Interior Ministry official said the troops fired into the air to disperse the “illegal” demonstration in the capital San’a, but he refused to comment on any injuries. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to talk to the media. (Read on …)

Good, maybe they will stop shooting protesters now.

Part of the problem is a lack of training and qualified leadership that is an outcome of nepotism.

Yemeni police officers lectured on weapons use in war and peace

SANA’A, Nov. 25 (Saba) – The Interior Ministry in cooperation with the International Committee of the Red Cross ICRC on Tuesday concluded a training workshop for 30 police officers from nine governorates on the use of weapons in both war and peace.

The participants in the two-day workshop, held at the building of the Police Academy in Sana’a, were lectured on the international humanitarian laws that systematize the use of power during wars and in peace as well and explain how to protect persons.

Training officer of the Police Academy Ahmad Jandab hailed the ICRC’s support to such workshops that aim at provide policemen with knowledge about international laws.

Deputy Head of the ICRC’s mission in Yemen said that facilities offered by the Interior Ministry to the ICRC have enabled the ICRC to hold this workshop, confirming the readiness of the ICRC to organize more training workshops for Yemeni security personnel as a humanitarian responsibility.

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.

messy messy

Yemen Post

Minister of Local Administration Abdul Kadir Hilal handed Saturday his resignation to President Ali Abdullah Saleh, being the second resigning minister in the new government over the last couple of months. (Read on …)

Yemen on Line:

Amnesty International expresses concern about human rights situation in Yemen

Yemenonline-Nov 12,2008- In its submission to the UN Universal Periodic Review in the Fifth session of the UPR Working Group of the Human Rights Council on May 2009,Amnesty International expresses concern about human rights situation in Yemen.

The report criticized continuing pattern of serious human rights violations, including the extensive use of the death penalty; restrictions on the peaceful exercise of the rights to freedom of expression, association and assembly; and discrimination and violence against women, which would be exacerbated if the proposed new laws and amendments to existing laws .IntroductionThrough its executive, legislative and judicial branches the government is in the process of preparing new laws and revising current laws. This process will impact on the framework of protection of fundamental human rights. Some of the proposed new legislation fails to conform to the requirements of international human rights law and, if implemented, could seriously undermine the many positive features of the human rights framework in Yemen. These proposals also have to be seen in the context of existing laws and practices that are in violation of Yemen’s obligations under international human rights law. B. Normative and institutional framework of the State: Failure to bring laws into line with international standards The government has initiated a review of the Constitution and a number of existing laws and has proposed new draft laws, including to counter terrorism. Laws put forward for review include the Penal Code (PC)[1] and the Press and Publication Law (PPL).[2] The new draft laws include a Counter Terrorism Law (CTL) and a Money Laundering and Financing of Terrorism Law (MLFTL). Human rights defenders in Yemen perceive both threats and opportunities in these legislative proposals. The new laws could be used to undermine the many important human rights achievements in the country since the establishment of the Republic of Yemen in 1990 (following unification of the then People’s Democratic Republic of Yemen and the Yemen Arab Republic) and Yemen’s adherence to its obligations under international human rights law.

Yet, Yemeni human rights defenders also see the proposed new laws as providing an opportunity to enhance the protection of human rights framework, which has seen the state’s ratification of many key international human rights treaties;[3] general respect for freedom of expression, association and assembly; criminalization of arbitrary arrest, detention and torture; and legal protection of the right to fair trial. Concerns that the legislative proposals may impact negatively on the current human rights framework are based on the assessment that they would expand the scope of the death penalty, criminalize legitimate freedoms, extend executive powers and the use of special procedures, and further entrench discrimination against women. The death penaltyIn addition to proposing an expansion in the scope of application of the death penalty, the new draft legislation would decrease further the few safeguards provided in the PC. Currently, the PC prescribes the death penalty under Shari’a law (Islamic Law) for murder (Qisas) and Hudud (divinely prescribed fixed offences and punishments), including for apostasy and adultery (where the punishment is death by stoning) and Hiraba (rebellion, unlawful war, spreading disorder on land), in addition to numerous capital offences related to state security. All of these capital offences are retained under the draft legislation and nine additional capital offences have been proposed; three as amendments to the PC[4] and six in the new CTL.[5] (Read on …)

Yemeni confesses at court of phone contact with Iranian intelligence
Tuesday, 11-November-2008
Almotamar.net – The Yemeni Specialised criminal First Instance Court continued Tuesday listening to evidence presented by the prosecution against one of three persons accused of holding phone communication with Iran.

At the court sitting chaired by Judge Muhsin Alwan the prosecution continued presentation of statements of the first defendant Abdulkarim Ali Abdulkarim Laji in reports of the prosecution investigations containing what he provided to staffers in the Iranian embassy of information on the Yemeni Coast Guard and movements of American citizens in Yemen.

On the court question to the defendant on the statements attributed to him he confessed they were his but deeds were not his.

The court then decided to postpone the sitting to Wednesday to continue presenting statements of the second defendant Hani Ahmed Shin. The prosecution accused three persons of conducting phone calls and illegitimate communication with a foreign country and work for its interest and providing it with news and information in addition to documents and photos on the political and security situations in Yemen in the way that harmed the political, economic and war status of the Republic of Yemen

The prosecution said in the court sitting that Abdulkarim Ali Abdulkarim Laji, 33, Hani Ahmed Shin 31, secretary of the director general of Coast Guard
Of Hadramout and Iskandar Abdullah Yusuf, 57 had in the year 1997-2008 held contacts with Iran and that they were holding meetings foreigners and provided them with news and information on Yemen. The prosecution pointed out that the defendants were exchanging information via CDs and telephone memories.

Military violating truce agreements still. Yemen Times

SA’ADA, Oct.25 — Tribal sources from the Sa’ada governorate have said that the state of people, particularly those who are loyal to Houthis, is worsening due to the advent of winter and the continuous siege imposed by security authorities and tribes supporting the government in the area.

“A military checkpoint in Sa’ada governorate’s Al-Malahidh area prevented a medical unit belonging to medical humanitarian aid agency Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) from entering to Marran, Haidan and Saqain areas to offer medical aid to the affected citizens,” according to a statement issued by Houthis media center last Tuesday.

The statement said, “The Al-Malahidh checkpoints, in addition to the Al-Majram military site in the mountainous area of Marran, have recently witnessed military reinforcements”. It accused security apparatuses of practicing violations since the agreement to end the fifth war in Sa’ada.

According to the statement, new military sites have been set up in the areas bordering Marran from the Al-Malahidh area and confirmed that arrests had taken place in Sana’a and Mareb during the last two days. (Read on …)

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.”

Yemen Times

SANA’A, Oct. 15 – The Radfan district of Lahj governorate witnessed on Monday a huge popular rally on the 45th Anniversary of the 14 October 1963 Revolution. At the Jubail Jabr district of Radfan, participants in the rally also marked the first anniversary of the Al-Jabalin incursion that killed 4 citizens and injured 15 others last year.

Organized by the Lahj-based Peaceful Struggle Organization in cooperation with martyrs’ families and relatives, the rally was attended by tens of thousands of citizens who came from various areas. Several speeches were given at the event before clashes between policemen and rally participants, who took to streets protesting against the government, injured four protesters when they threw stones at a security soldier.

Witnesses noted the clashes occurred in an area between Hebail Jabr and Al-Jabalain districts, adding that policemen fired live bullets and teargas at protesters and arrested many of them. Information obtained from witnesses revealed that as many as 23 protesters were arrested by the police during the event, while other sources indicated that 30 protesters were arrested after hurling stones at policemen.

Participants in the rally chanted slogans criticizing the government while driving their cars on the road leading to the area of Rasd, but they were intercepted by a military checkpoint and clashes broke out between protesters and army members at the checkpoint. They called on lifting security check points and random arrests which targeted civilians from the south. A statement by the protestors demanded an international tribunal for the crimes committed against people from the south. It also emphasized that the coming elections are rejected absolutely and does not concern the people from the south because their main concern is acknowledgement of their political struggle.

Speakers at the popular rally urged all participants to come together and continue their peaceful struggle against the regime in order to press it reform course of the unity and reconsider both October and September revolutions in Yemen. They said that military retirees in the southern governorate are ready to conciliate with other political groups.