RECENT REPORTS OF EXPLOSIVE DEVICES UNSUBSTANTIATED

C O N F I D E N T I A L SANAA 001377 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/16/2013 TAGS: PTER PREL ASEC YM COUNTER TERRORISM SUBJECT: RECENT REPORTS OF EXPLOSIVE DEVICES UNSUBSTANTIATED REF: RSO/DS E-MAILS Classified By: Charge D'Affaires Alan G. Misenheimer for Reason 1.5 (b, d) ¶1. (C) AP reported on 6/13 that Yemeni police defused a time bomb outside the Hadda Hotel late on Thursday, June 12. The hotel is located about 150 yards from a residential compound housing many foreigners, including Embassy staff. Foreign Minister Qirbi, the Ministry of Interior (MOI),and the Political Security Organization (PSO) have all assured the Embassy that this report is untrue. ¶2. (C) The 6/13 AP article by Ahmed Al-Haj reported that "security guards found the bomb placed against the outside wall of the four-star Hadda Hotel shortly before midnight Thursday...." Al-Haj said "police have made no arrests in the incident, which came a day after a bomb exploded about a mile from the hotel." This story has since been picked up by the Yemen Times, a bi-weekly english-language publication, as well as both regional and international press. ¶3. (C) While investigating the AP report, TDY RSO was informed by Yemen Hunt Oil Security Manager Ralph Gonzales that according to his (unnamed) sources, a hand grenade, not an improvised explosive device (IED),was found at/near the Hadda Hotel. ¶4. (C) RSO met with the manager of Hadda Hotel on June 15, ¶2003. The manager does not consider the person who reported finding the IED credible. In addition, on 6/16 TDY RSO was informed by the DATT that both DAO and Pol/Mil sources agree the AP report is a hoax. ¶5. (C) Embassy officials have engaged ROYG at numerous levels -- from the Foreign Minister to MOI to PSO -- and have been unable to confirm either Thursday night's recovery of an IED, or the previous day's explosion alluded to in Al-Haj's article; or the grenade incident reported by Hunt Oil. MISENHEIMER