Yemen Accuses Opposition Official, Military Defector of Saleh Assassination Attempt

Sanaa, August 19, 2011

The Yemeni government accused on Thursday an opposition official and a military commander who defected to the popular revolution of involvement in the assassination attempt to kill President Saleh in June.

“There are accusations that Hamid Al-Ahmer, a prominent opposition politician and businessman, and Ali Muhsen Al-Ahmer, commander of the first armored division which announced peaceful support to the Yemeni revolution, were involved in the assassination attempt,” said Abdul Janadi, deputy information minister, told a news conference in Sana’a.

Saleh is now convalescing in Saudi Arabia after almost nine surgeries for burns he suffered in the blast in his palace in June that injured 87 senior officials including Parliament Speaker, Prime Minister and his two deputies and Shura Chairman and killed 12 of Saleh’s bodyguards.

The embattled president, whose regime is facing six-month protests seeking its ouster, was reported to have been pressured by the U.S., the EU and other countries to sign a GCC power transition deal and warned not to return home.

But he delivered a speech on Tuesday assuring his supporters he will come back soon .

Aj-Janadi also attacked the national council to lead and accelerate the popular revolution on Wednesday, saying the move by the opposition and its partners translated the speech of President Saleh this week that the opposition had stolen the youth-led revolution.

He urged the youth-led protesters, who have been conducting six-month sit-ins inside squares of change and freedom in most Yemeni cities, to be careful because many wanted suspects are among them.

The so-called change square include those who killed and kidnapped foreigners in Yemen and those who killed and displaced people and attacked and burned public offices in downtown Sana’a, he said.