FBI DIRECTOR MEETS WITH PRESIDENT SALEH, MINISTER

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 04 SANAA 001256

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/04/2013
TAGS: PREL PGOV KJUS IZ SA YM COUNTER TERRORISM TERFIN
SUBJECT: FBI DIRECTOR MEETS WITH PRESIDENT SALEH, MINISTER
OF INTERIOR, AND PSO DIRECTOR

Classified By: Ambassador Edmund J. Hull, for Reasons 1.5 (b) and (d).


1. (S/NF) Begin summary: FBI Director Mueller met with
President Saleh on Monday, June 2 during a brief visit to
Aden. Mueller and his delegation also met with Minister of
Interior Rashad Alimi and head of the Political Security
Organization (PSO) General Ghaleb Gamish. Issues discussed
in these meetings included:

-- The role of the new LEGATT Office in Sanaa in
facilitating CT cooperation

-- The importance of continued liaison and CT cooperation

-- The return of Yemeni detainees at GTMO

-- ROYG re-education of "former" Al-Qaeda members

-- The smuggling of weapons and explosives from Yemen, Saudi
Arabia, and Iraq

-- USS Cole Escapees

-- U.S. efforts to extradite Yemeni cleric Mohammed Ali
Al-Moayed from Germany

-- ROYG requests for assistance: equipment, training, etc.



2. (C) Also in attendance: Ambassador Edmund Hull, FBI
Executive Assistant Director for Counterterrorism Pat
D'Amuro, in-coming LEGATT Stephen Gaudin, and Mueller's
Counselor Jonathan Solomon. End summary.

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Overview
--------------


3. (S/NF) Director Mueller arrived in Aden on June 2 as
part of a larger regional tour. The Director met with
Ambassador Hull upon arrival to discuss agenda items for the
Director's meeting with President Saleh. Arriving in Yemen
from Saudi Arabia, the Director was able to provide a
valuable assessment of the current situation there. He noted
SAG's renewed activism in the fight against terror and their
concern about the transfer of weapons and explosives from
Yemen -- specifically from the weapons souk in Saada. SAG
also provided the Director with a list of items confiscated
during illegal border crossings from Yemen that was
mentioned, but not delivered, to President Saleh.


4. (S/NF) Ambassador highlighted intelligence indicating
that a Saudi based group tried to recruit Abu Assem
(Al-Makki),number two on the U.S. most wanted list for
Yemen, to conduct terrorist acts in Saudi, which Abu Assem
declined. This is a warning and it should serve as a message
to the Yemenis that these individuals must be apprehended.

--------------
President Saleh and Director Mueller
--------------


5. (S/NF) Starting a cordial meeting with President Ali
Abdullah Saleh, Director Mueller conveyed President Bush's
thanks for continuing ROYG efforts, particularly the recent
arrest of IIS agents. Mueller presented Stephen Gaudin to
Saleh as the new Legal Attache-designate to Yemen, noting his
years of experience in CT and his involvement in the East
Africa Embassy bombings investigation. Gaudin's selection is
evidence of the FBI's long-term commitment. The FBI will
send additional personnel to support him, increasing the
frequency and quality of its exchanges with the Political
Security Organization (PSO) and the Ministry of Interior
(MOI). Mueller also introduced Executive Assistant Director
for Counterterrorism Pat D'Amuro. Based out of Washington,
D'Amuro will be traveling throughout the region, including
Yemen, to met with his counterparts in the months ahead.


6. (S/NF) President Saleh welcomed Mueller and stressed his
wish to enhance cooperation and coordination between the FBI,
PSO, and MOI. He also noted the importance of information
sharing to continue the joint efforts to arrest those
responsible for terrorism and identify "sleeper" Al-Qaeda
cells in Yemen.

--------------
Return of Yemeni Detainees at GTMO
--------------


7. (S/NF) President Saleh cited the recent return of Saudi
detainees from GTMO to SAG. He said that, when the U.S.
investigation of Yemenis at GTMO is complete, they should be
handed over to Yemen so ROYG can conduct their own
investigation and perhaps uncover more sleeper cells. Saleh
noted that, at the end of the day, the USG is not going to
adopt tough measures against these individuals, but Yemen
can. These people must be a burden to the U.S. and ROYG is
only trying to help.


8. (S/NF) Mueller affirmed that USG authorities continue to
look at the individuals at GTMO and will take appropriate
steps when their investigations are complete. ROYG has had
an opportunity to meet with Yemenis at GTMO.


9. (S/NF) Ambassador Hull added that there is a request for
additional information from ROYG about some of the people in
Yemeni custody.

--------------
Al-Moayed
--------------


10. (S/NF) President Saleh noted that the USG wants to
prosecute Sheikh Mohammed Ali al-Moayed, but ROYG considers
him a businessman, not a terrorist. He suggested that the
U.S. have the CIA and FBI investigate al-Moayed's activities,
and, when the investigation is over, the U.S. should turn
al-Moayed over to ROYG who will perform their own
investigation.


11. (S/NF) Director Mueller assured President Saleh that
significant evidence of links to terrorist financing has been
collected against al-Moayed and the case against him is quite
strong.

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Re-education of Former Al-Qaeda
--------------


12. (S/NF) Saleh outlined an ongoing ROYG initiative to
re-educate former Al-Qaeda members. The goal is to get them
to repent and pledge their loyalty to ROYG and the country.
This program is being run through moderate religious clerics,
and Saleh believes it will provide ROYG with valuable
information that will lead to the apprehension of more
people.


13. (S/NF) Mueller expressed concern that while these
"reformed" individuals may promise not to commit terrorist
attacks in Yemen, they may do so somewhere else. President
Saleh assured that these individuals are not permitted to
leave Yemen. Saleh noted that people with "blood on their
hands" were not eligible for this program. He added that
last Ramadan (Nov/Dec 2002) the ROYG released 36 "reformed"
individuals who were all doing well, proof that ROYG's
re-education -- a mixture of religion, culture, and education
-- is working.


14. (S/NF) Saleh also said that the fact that nothing
happened to Americans in Yemen during the war in Iraq was
important evidence that ROYG's intervention, especially
Saleh's personal intervention, was effective.

-------------- --------------
Precarious Regional Security Situation; Saudi Factor
-------------- --------------


15. (S/NF) Comparing the lack of central control in Iraq to
the situation in Yemen after the 1994 civil war, Saleh said
the bombings in Saudi Arabia were due in part to the flow of
arms out of Iraq. Director Mueller countered with the Saudi
theory that the weapons used in these attacks actually came
from Yemen. While noting that it was a possibility, Saleh
asked why the Saudis fail to control their own borders,
including the Yemeni one.


16. (S/NF) Mueller noted that the question of Saudis
controlling their borders is a separate issue from the
ability to buy weapons -- RPGs, explosives, etc. -- from
Yemen. Saleh mentioned ROYG's weapons-buyback program -- in
the last few months ROYG says they have bought-back about
70-80% of the weapons from the souks -- but again cited
instability in Iraq as an immediate threat. Saleh said that
weapons dealers in Yemen have been trying to get permission
to go to Iraq because the weapons there are cheaper. Saleh
also noted that members of the "former Iraqi regime" were
now selling weapons and munitions to Al-Qaeda, although he
gave no sources.


17. (S/NF) Saleh later agreed with the Director and the
Saudis on proliferation from Saada (a northern city with a
large weapons souk),confirming that ROYG knows the
explosives used against the Cole and explosives used to
target Saleh's residence were from Saada.

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CT Cooperation and Training
--------------


18. (S/NF) Saleh said that while cooperation with CIA is
good, cooperation with FBI is only fair; the ROYG has needs
that should be discussed. Mueller said that is why Steve
Gaudin has been assigned to Yemen for the next two years as
the first Legal Attache permanently assignment to Yemen.
Mueller also noted that the FBI will conduct a two week
course on crime scene investigation, evidence collection,
etc. at the end of July for 24 Yemeni officials. Equipment,
which the officials will retain, will also be provided.

-------------- --------------
Sidebar: President Saleh and Director Mueller One-on-One
-------------- --------------


19. (S/NF) At the conclusion of the delegation's meeting
with the President, Saleh dismissed everyone except Director
Mueller (and the President's interpreter) to have a private
exchange. During this sidebar, Saleh informed the Director
that ROYG has information indicating that disaffected Iraqis
are contacting elements of al-Qaeda to plot against U.S.
interests. No details or sourcing were provided.

--------------
USS Cole Escapees
--------------


20. (C) During a working lunch hosted by Minister of
Interior Alimi and PSO Director Gamish, discussion continued
on numerous issues including the April 11 escape of ten
prisoners from a high-security prison facility in Aden. Four
of the ten were implicated in the October 2000 attack against
the USS Cole.


21. (C) PSO Security Director Gamish noted that they have
proved difficult to find, but the investigation continues.
ROYG distributed names and photos of the escapees, there is a
reward, and ROYG is trying to find their hideouts. President
Saleh and Gamish both commented that intel indicates the
escapees are still in Yemen.

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Requests for Assistance and New CT Unit
--------------


22. (C) Both Alimi and Gamish had a list of items their
respective organizations require to improve their
effectiveness, including computers, crime scene processing
kits, and magnetometors. Alimi also announced the
establishment of a new CT Unit as called for by a recent Arab
League ruling. ROYG has given this unit a site, but the unit
will require training and equipment before it is fully
operational.


23. (C) Director Mueller suggested that the U.S. has found
small vetted units to be more effective than large divisions.
He added that those who receive specialized training must
use it (i.e. no good to train people and then transfer them
to a unit where they don't use that skill). Alimi agreed and
noted that personnel selection is key; however, ROYG needs
larger units to ensure that qualified individuals are
available when they are needed. Gamish explained that
turnover is high due in part to the importance of family. If
a family member is needed at home or elsewhere, they will go.



24. (C) Ambassador Hull noted the importance of maintaining
these skills with periodic exercises.

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Press Coverage
--------------


25. (C) Press coverage of the Director's visit was limited,
but positive, highlighting increased bilateral cooperation
and USG appreciation for ROYG's efforts to combat terrorism.
(Note: Many weekly papers have not yet published.)


26. (U) Text of the Embassy's official press release:

(Begin text.)

FBI Director Mueller Visits Yemen; Meets President Saleh

Robert Mueller, Director of the U.S. Federal Bureau of
Investigation, met with Yemen's President Ali Abdullah Saleh
in Aden Monday to discuss counter-terrorism and legal
cooperation.

Director Mueller's brief stopover in Aden came as part of his
tour of the countries in the region to discuss the global
struggle against terrorism. Director Mueller briefed
President Saleh on his talks with Saudi officials regarding
the latest terrorist attacks in Riyadh that left more than
thirty people dead. He also underlined the existing close
security cooperation between the United States and Yemen, and
expressed the hope that the relationship would continue and
develop further. In this regard, he told President Saleh
about the establishment of a LEGATT (Legal Attache) office at
the U.S. mission in Sanaa.

Also, attending the meeting in Aden were Yemeni Interior
Minister Alimi and PSO Chief General Ghamesh as well as U.S.
Ambassador to Yemen Edmund Hull.
(End text.)
MISENHEIMER