Yemen: Terrorism Rising in a Troubled Land

08.03.11

Political turmoil is making an already poor and deeply divided Yemen prime breeding ground for terrorism. CIA officials warned the country’s al-Qaida affiliate is growing stronger despite claims the terrorist network’s demise is “within reach.”

Al-Qaida’s Yemeni affiliate declared its loyalty to Osama bin Laden’s replacement, Egyptian-born doctor Ayman al-Zawahri, last week, further confirming experts’ long-held opinion that, “Yemen is the new Afghanistan.”

The Yemeni group AQAP -- Al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula -- posted a 10-minute audio message on extremist websites vowing to continue fighting against corrupt Western-backed leaders.

The news came more than two weeks after new Defense Secretary Leon Panetta declared the United States is "within reach" of "strategically defeating" al-Qaida as a terrorist threat. However, senior CIA officials also warned that its Yemen affiliate is growing fast and has become the most dangerous.

The United States estimates there are 300 members of AQAP in Yemen with links to several attempted attacks on U.S. targets. These include two bomb parcels found en route from Yemen to Chicago in 2010 and a plot to bomb a Detroit-bound plane in 2009.

Yemen is the late al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden’s ancestral home and the location of one of the group's first attacks in 1998.

Failed states make it easy to hide and train militants

Located on the Arabian Peninsula and bordered by Saudi Arabia and Oman, Yemen is a poor and divided country with three quarters of the population still living in rural areas.

Jennifer Steil, a former American editor of the Yemen Observer, wrote that Yemeni people are living exactly like their ancestors thousands of years ago: herding goats and cows, growing wheat, traveling long distances for water, living in square mud-brick homes.

Yemen is considered one of the least developed countries by the United Nations and the poorest country in the Arab world. Forty-five percent of the population lives on less than $2 a day.

The majority of these people live above Yemen’s oil and gas fields. But instead of building roads and schools, the oil and gas money is lost in corruption and kickbacks worth billions of dollars to keep people loyal to Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh and buy off tribal leaders, according to Steil.

Tribes rule the countryside

One key to al-Qaida’s influence in Yemen is support from several tribal members. Edmund J. Hull, former U.S. ambassador to Yemen, wrote that al-Qaida receives this support because the terrorism group is able to successfully exploit opportunities created by government neglect. For example, in a country where illiteracy is an issue -- only 73 percent of males and 35 percent of females can read -- al-Qaida offers Yemeni people what the government sometimes can’t: schools.

Other factors are strong family ties and the “mujahedeen fraternity” -- Yemenis with fighting experience abroad. But perhaps most important in provoking loyalty to al-Qaida, wrote Hull, are innocent casualties in the war on terror -- family, friends and neighbors killed in counterterrorism operations.

Arab Spring

As democratic uprisings spread across the Middle East, the example of the Tunisian revolution provoked mass demonstrations against President Saleh in January.

Thousands of protestors took to the streets to rally against unemployment, economic conditions and corruption, and to call for President Saleh to resign. Police cracked down on the demonstrations in Yemen’s capital city, Sanaa, and seaport cities such as Aden resulting in several causalities.

Al-Qaida saw the president’s unpopularity as an opening and took control of at least two towns and surrounding territory in the country’s south, forcing more than 100,000 people to flee the area.

Meanwhile, President Saleh, who has been a U.S. ally in the fight against al-Qaida, has turned the military’s focus from global counterterrorism to protecting the regime.

--Compiled by Rani Robelus for NewsHour Extra

Somali Official: al-Shabab Gets Weapons from Yemen

August 3rd, 2011
A Somali official says the insurgent group al-Shabab has received weapons from allies in Yemen.
The Somali consul in Yemen, Hussein Haji Ahmed, tells VOA that the Yemeni wing of al-Qaida recently sent 10 ships full of weapons to Somalia.
The consul said two of the ships were intercepted by Yemeni government forces, but that he believes the others reached parts of the Somali coast controlled by al-Shabab.
Ahmed said he received the information from intelligence sources he declined to identify.
Yemeni and international media reports also speak of al-Shabab receiving weapons from Yemen, which is separated from Somalia by the Gulf of Aden.
The insurgent group is trying to overthrow the U.N.-backed Somali transitional government and set up an Islamic state in Somalia. The group has lost ground to government and African Union troops in recent months but is expected to launch a counter-offensive during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

Nexen still in talks with Yemen over oil licence

DUBAI | Wed Aug 3, 2011
Aug 3 (Reuters) - Canadian oil company Nexen Inc is still in talks with the Yemeni government over the possible renewal of operating licences in the small oil producing country, a company spokesman said.
Under existing agreements with the Yemeni government, Nexen has the right produce oil from the Masila project until December 2011. It is negotiating a five-year extension because it still sees significant value in the mature field.
"Discussions with the government continue at this time," the spokesman told Reuters in an emailed response to questions about the company's licence renewal.
Nexen produces some 70,000 barrels per day (bpd) of oil from its two blocks in Yemen -- Masila (Block 14) and East Al Hajr (Block 51) -- and exports almost all of it from Ash Shahir terminal on the southern coast of the country, mainly to Asia.
Nexen's Yemen operations have been largely unaffected by the violence that has erupted across the poorest Arab country in months of protests demanding an end to the 33-year rule of President Ali Abdullah Saleh.
YEMEN CRISIS
Production of Yemen's high-quality, light Maarib crude -- which is mainly used to meet domestic fuel demand -- stopped for more than three months after an attack on its feed pipeline.
The pipeline was repaired and crude flow restarted in mid-July. The first shipment of Maarib crude to the Ras Isa export terminal arrived last week, shipping sources said.
A domestic fuel crisis has exacerbated Yemen's political crisis, sparking petrol station shootouts and squeezing shaky public finances by forcing it to nearly double fuel imports.
"In terms of fuel supplies, I can't say there is a shortage right now," one shipping source said, adding that the fourth shipment of Saudi-donated crude from kingdom's Yanbu port is expected to arrive this week.
"There's also a lot of gasoline, diesel imports coming in," the source said. "But the problems in distribution continue; fights in queues, violence. It is still chaos."
The army has launched an offensive against militants they suspect of ties to al Qaeda and who have seized several areas in Abyan in recent months -- including the provincial capital Zinjibar, which lies east of Bab el Mandab, a strategic shipping lane where some 3 million barrels of oil pass daily.

South Yemen tribes to rejoin army offensive against militants

By Mohammed Mukhashaf

ADEN | Wed Aug 3, 2011

(Reuters) - Yemeni tribesmen who had withdrawn from a joint army offensive against Islamist militants in the south said Wednesday they had rejoined the fight, despite losing at least 15 people in friendly fire by warplanes last week.

The leader of local tribesmen allied to the army, Mohammed al-Gaadani, warned the military another botched strike could scare off the tribes, who were seen as a critical element to the success of its campaign.

"We caution the government's forces to be careful of another strike on our fighters. Repeating that mistake will lessen the tribes' desire to help clear out the militants," he said.

Three weeks ago, Yemen's army launched a massive offensive on militants suspected of ties to al Qaeda, who have seized several towns in southern Abyan province in recent months.

Army units, backed by tribal fighters who had grown frustrated by the state's inability to drive out militants, have been struggling to retake the provincial coastal capital Zinjibar, which lies east of a major shipping lane where some 3 million barrels of oil pass daily.

Reports from tribesmen said that somewhere between 15 and 40 of their fighters were killed in an air strike, just hours after the tribal fighters had wrested a strategic point outside the city from the hands of militants.

"The tribal fighters then withdrew from the battle area for two days but they've returned now after we discussed the importance of fighting these extremist elements and clearing Zinjibar of their presence," Gaadani told Reuters by telephone.

A local official confirmed that the army's tribal allies had returned to their locations around Zinjibar as the army continued to push to retake the strategic city.

STRUGGLING TO GAIN GROUND

As the Arab world's poorest state is rocked by over six months of protests against President Ali Abdullah Saleh, Abyan province has been steeped in daily violence from rising unrest, which has forced some 90,000 residents to flee.

The United States and neighboring oil giant Saudi Arabia, both targets of foiled attacks by al Qaeda's Yemen-based wing, are wary of rising turmoil in the fractious Arabian Peninsula state, and fear it could give the group more room to operate.

The main army unity in Abyan fighting militants outside of Zinjibar, the 25th brigade, has complained of a lack of reinforcements and resources as it struggles to gain ground.

The brigade is linked to a top general, Ali Mohsen, who defected to protesters several months ago. The 25th brigade, which has refused to announce its political loyalties since the general switched sides, has been cooperating with other units that support the president in its fight with militants.

The troops have yet to recapture any major cities such as Zinjibar or Jaar, although with the help of tribes they were able to retake a makeshift military base seized two months ago.

Saleh's opponents accuse him of letting his forces ease their grip around militant strongholds in order to provoke a resurgence in fighting to stoke concerns that al Qaeda could be kept in check only if he remained at the helm.

Riyadh and Washington have sought to push for a Gulf-brokered transition plan to ease their former, if inconstant, ally against al Qaeda out of power in the hope of maintaining stability.

But Saleh, despite being badly hurt by a bomb blast in his compound in June, is clinging to power. The 69-year old leader is convalescing in Riyadh but has vowed to return to Yemen.

Botched Yemeni airstrike harms anti-militant fight

August 2, 2011

SANAA, Yemen (AP) — A Yemeni security official says airstrikes last week accidentally killed four army officers and a tribal leader, dealing a major blow to the effort to push Islamist fighters from a southern town.

Ali Gaadani, a regional security chief in Abyan province, said Tuesday that two colonels, a lieutenant colonel, a major and a powerful tribal sheik were among the 40 people killed in the airstrikes.

Al-Qaida-linked Islamist militants overran the provincial capital of Zinjibar in May, and security forces have been battling them since.

The airstrikes Saturday accidentally hit a group of tribal fighters and army soldiers — just days after they launched an offensive against the militants.

Gaadani said the strike caused the fighters to withdraw, allowing the militants to widen the area under their control.

President Saleh says dialogue is the best way to address current crisis

SANA’A, August 01 (Saba)- President Ali Abdullah Saleh has assured the Yemeni people on his health and the health of state officials who were injured with him in the 03 June attack on the presidential palace's mosque in Sana’a, asserting that they are recovering well.

in his address to nation on the advent of the holy fasting month of Ramadan, President Saleh thanked all honest people for the flood of feelings, love and loyalty they display towards him. He urged all political parties to resort to dialogue as it remains to be the only approach to get out and the best way to resolve crises, conflicts and differences.

The President reiterated his call on all parties to adopt calm and to renounce violence, extremism and subversion, and not to deal with reactions, whatever the reasons and justifications, stressing the necessity of all political factions to abide by the Gulf initiative and the statement of the UN Security Council as a platform to resolve the crisis in the country.

The president affirmed that the change which everyone seeks could not be reached through means of violence and coups and by promoting a culture of hatred and plotting conspiracies against the political rivals.

He urged all to move beyond the past and get this opportunity to meet for dialogue and tolerance, and to remove tensions from the cities, roads and squares and invest the spiritual climates which this Holy month provided for agreement on what maintaining the nation and keeping it away from tragedies.

Following is the text of address by President Saleh.

May prayers and peace be upon His honest and trustworthy prophet Muhammad - the last of all prophets and messengers - his household, and his companions.

On the occasion of the holy month of Ramadan, it is gives me the pleasure to send you my warmest congratulations and my best wishes from my medical treatment bed, here in Saudi Arabia.

I assure our loyal Yemeni fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters, sons, and daughters and all the great considerate people that I and all the officials wounded in the criminal, treacherous, and sinful incident are recovering well. This has been possible thanks to God's providence, the prayers of the honest and loyal Yemenis, and the care and consideration of the brothers in Saudi Arabia, particularly King Abdullah.

It is my pleasure to salute you whole-heartedly, with the greetings of peace and Islam! At the beginning of this speech, it gives me the pleasure to extend to you, Yemenis, and to the people of our Arab and Islamic nation my best wishes along with my prayers, as I ask God to prevent our Arab and Islamic countries, peoples, and nation from all hardships and dangers during this holy month of Ramadan.

We should make the Holy Koran our source of reference in all our worldly and religious matters, as ordered by God the Almighty. We should seek our decisions from the Koran and hold on to God's rulings because anything else will drag our countries and people into the shafts of perdition and sedition.

It gives me the pleasure to take this annual religious opportunity - which is dear and precious to our hearts - to discuss a number of issues that the homeland and the citizens are concerned with This way we can have a common vision about such issues and always look forward to positivity and achievements. In fact, despite the conditions and circumstances witnessed in our country, we should give free rein to our hopes and ambitions in welcoming the auspicious month [of Ramadan] which is the month of all good, beneficence, blessings, and charity.

We should consolidate our trust in the Almighty and express our beseeching to Him to have mercy on us, forgive our sins, guide us to the path of the righteous ones, and grant us the strength to perform the religious duty of fasting by submitting to and obeying Him, hoping to be receive His special reward.

Yes, I am addressing the believers, the wise ones, and the rational men of our nation, prompting their motivation, provoking their jealousy, and reinforcing their determination so that they can wake up and realize the dangers and challenges facing the country. This is due to the political situation in our country. It has become our duty to overcome the political, economical, and security crisis as well as the extremely difficult social conditions.

This blessed month, with its spiritual and fiducial atmospheres, represents an opportunity for one to review his deeds and return to God. It also represents a halt to purify the human soul which gets elevated over the mortal creatures of this world. We hope from our businessmen brothers to consider the specificity of this holy month and refrain from raising the prices as well as monopolizing the basic commodities and services catering to the citizens' needs.

We gave instructions to the concerned departments to perform their duties in all governorates in cooperation with local councils and security committees. These departments are expected to shoulder their national responsibilities of providing the citizens with their basic necessities during this blessed month.

They will take appropriate action against those who exploit the crisis that the country is experiencing by manipulating prices, commodities, and main services. Action will be taken too against those who attempt to take advantage of simple citizens amid the current political crisis, depriving them of the essentials, such as food, fuel, electricity, and water. Furthermore, we gave orders to the government to intensify its activities and take swift and appropriate action to provide oil derivatives and ensure the continuous supply of electricity in all governorates.

We request our brother citizens not to block the path of the fuel tankers carrying petrol, diesel, and gas, cooperate effectively with the government efforts to ensure conveyance of peoples' needs to all areas, and stop whoever tries to obstruct government efforts in providing essential public services.

On this religious occasion, we reiterate our call to all the forces from across the national political spectrum to resort to dialogue, as it is the only way out of the crisis and the most ideal means to resolve crises, disputes, and disagreements.

In fact, there is no alternative to a dialogue inspired from the national principles and the constitution. This is the civilized means followed by all free and living peoples on earth to achieve reform and change for the better. In addition, we renew our call to all the forces to achieve calm, renounce to violence, extremism, and sabotage, and refrain from dealing with the situation by displaying reactions, regardless of the reasons and justifications behind such reactions. In fact, violence can only breed violence and the simple citizen is always the victim.

On this occasion, we would like to stress the necessity for the active political forces to uphold the Gulf initiative as well as the UN efforts and statement as a platform for resolving the Yemeni national crisis. We would like as well to take this opportunity to express our gratitude and appreciation for the efforts exerted by the brothers in the GCC, the American friends, the EU states, and the UN Secretariat General.

The change that everybody seeks cannot be achieved through violence, disseminating the culture of hatred, the mentality of coups, concocting conspiracies, and killing political competitors. Such backward and immoral means will lead to further uncertainties, complicate further the situation, and exacerbate the crisis.

In addition, such means have become obsolete with the end of the totalitarian regimes and the advent of the new dawn of unity. Unity brought in political diversity, press freedom, the preservation of human rights, and consolidating the principle of transition of power through democratic mechanisms which are pre-approved by all democratic states in the world.

Such a transition of power will take place through the ballot boxes. Accessing to power cannot take place through spreading scare and chaos, blocking roads, harming the people's interests. It cannot take place either by increasing the people's suffering and depriving them from the basic requirements of life, such as food, water, electricity, and fuel.

The people lack security and safety. Facilities and great achievements accomplished by our people's efforts and hard work have sustained heavy damage. They were once inspired by the revolution, the republic, and the blessed unity. Unity has been achieved thanks to the great and valued sacrifices consolidated with freedom and democracy as a national option for our struggling and proud people, who cannot allow that their will, national options, accomplishments, and gains be dealt with lightly.

On top of all of these, there is unity which cannot be neglected. No one can afford failing to assume the responsibility of defending unity, security, and stability. No one should fail to preserve the people's freedoms and rights and maintain their democratic and diverse path.

This duty should be fulfilled regardless of the conspiracies fuelled by grudge, illegal aspirations to accede to power, and domestic rebellion against constitutional legitimacy. There are also various acts of incitement and enticements made by some malicious people abroad and targeting national security and stability. Yet, we will defend national unity with all our strength, just as we maintained revolution and its eternal republican regime.

We cannot allow ourselves or anyone - be him an individual, a group, or a party - to stand in the way of the legitimate aspirations of the people in achieving development and change. This can take place freely and democratically, away from any distortion of the people's awareness and truths and reliance on the despicable tribal sensitivities and blatant regional sentiment. We should all struggle to reflect the principle of peaceful transition of power, constitutionally and democratically.

Along this path, we should also struggle to support serious and responsible national efforts to achieve a comprehensive agreement which will be approved and upheld by all political forces to find a way out of the current political crisis. We should also struggle to address all pending issues and problems. We should achieve the desired change in the political regime, achieve reforms in the structures of the central and local state institutions, and achieve local governance with full powers.

Along this path, we commend the loyal national efforts exerted by Vice President Abdo Rabbo Mansur Hadi to resolve the crisis and the dialogue he is holding with the political forces. We hope that a positive response will be given to his constructive efforts, to prevent the suffering of the people and provide the basic public services. We also hope that the political forces will react seriously and responsibly to these efforts in order to mend the rift and step out of the current crisis.

We hope that everyone will give top priority to the highest national interests over all other partisan or personal and narrow ones. We hope that everyone will give priority to wisdom and reason and neglect trivialities, so that security, stability, tranquility, and civil peace will prevail countrywide. This way the feelings of compassion and fraternity will return among all Yemenis. In fact, with further dialogue, understanding, and rationalism, national harmony can be achieved, as well as the aspirations of reform and change for the better, as put forward by our youths and all the segments of our great Yemeni people.

There is no doubt that our people cannot be lenient and deviate an inch away from establishing righteousness and reinforcing the rule of justice against these against these criminals who intentionally and calculatedly committed the most heinous crimes of treachery, terrorism, and betrayal.

They plotted, planed, prepared, and executed their crime. They killed innocent souls, shed pure blood, and spread destruction and chaos. The hand of justice should reach such gutless criminals and the judiciary shall have the final word on their fate.

We ask Almighty God to forgive and have mercy on the souls of all martyrs and make them rest in His paradise with the prophets and righteous ones, so that they can live in the presence of their God. We also ask God to heal and protect all those wounded and injured, as God listens to our prayers and answers them. On this holy religious occasion, we salute the brave servicemen heroes with pride, admiration, and appreciation.

They remained steadfast in the battlegrounds of honour and heroism and during their preparations and training. They are the safety valve of the revolution, the republic, and unity. They are the protectors of the land and the constitutional legitimacy. They did not deviate from or renounced the values and principles for which they dedicated their lives. They promised God and their country to remain loyal to their beliefs, protect them, and make sacrifices for their sake. They were not lured by the temptations, deceptive campaigns, falsehoods, and frauds, which were displayed to entrap them into deviation and push them to give up their values, break their promises, and reject national legitimacy. They remained steadfast and will remain so in all circumstances while performing their sacred national duty and fulfilling their responsibilities. They defended sovereignty, independence, and national security and confronted terrorists, extremists, vandals, and outlaws. They will face anyone who tries to disrupt security and stability, disturb public tranquility, intimidate innocent people, spread chaos, or wreak havoc on the nation and citizens.

I would also like to extend my thanks and appreciation to all our loyal people including men, women, elderly, and children who showered me with love and displayed loyalty. This is not strange to the Yemenis, who were once described by the great Prophet - may God's prayers and peace be upon him - to be faithful and wise.

You - the sons of our proud Yemeni people - are the grandsons of Prophet's supporters, may God's prayers and peace be upon him, and the grandsons of the conquerors. History lined your noble stances, genuine morals, and legendary steadfastness on righteousness in bright letters. High mountains belong to you and your souls are uniquely proud and steadfast.

Moreover, I would like to extend great thanks and gratitude to my brother King Abdullah for his hospitality.

They have done whatever is in their power and provided all medical care needed to treat me and treat the parliament speaker, the prime minister, the head of the Shura Council, the two deputies of the prime minister, and all other civil and military officials targeted with us in the vicious and treacherous attack of the Al-Nahdayn Mosque. The latter are still receiving medical treatment in the hospitals of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

His Majesty was a good brother. He did not spare any effort in providing us with the best medical care and attention. This is not strange to him and his brothers, their majesty, the princes. He is well known for his Arab and Islamic genuine, noble, and principled stances and his unwavering courage and dignity.

We would also like to extend our thanks to all the brothers and leaders who stood by our side as soon as the heinous crime was committed, offering various support. We are referring here to our brothers in the United Arab Emirates, Jordan, and all brothers and friends who kept on inquiring about us, following up our news, and expressing their support to the Yemenis, and their leadership, unity, freedom, security, and stability.

I extend thanks and gratitude on my personal behalf and on the behalf of the leadership, government, and all the loyal and noble Yemenis, who will never forget such stances and will be always grateful.

Once again, we call for letting bygones be bygones, and we hope that the holy month of Ramadan would be a chance for everyone to meet, talk, become tolerant, and remove the tension from the cities, roads, squares, and arenas. We call for taking advantage of the spiritual atmosphere that characterizes this holy month to reach an agreement on what protects and preserves the homeland and what spares it tragedies and horrors.

Yemen cannot witness the end of its ordeal as long as tension and entrenchment - considered to be barbarian and backward - are witnessed in Sanaa's streets. We look forward to overcoming such a situation as required by a genuine democracy where relevant practices are put in place, excluding any harm done to the citizens and any destruction of the homeland.

We praise God before anything else and at all times for all the blessings He granted us. We thank Almighty God for His blessings and ask Him for more righteousness, guidance, and blessings. God listens to our prayers and answers them. May you have a blessed month and I wish you many happy returns of this occasion. May God's peace, mercy, and blessings be upon you.