SANAA EAC MEETING - 14 JANUARY 2003

S E C R E T SANAA 000138

SIPDIS

NOFORN

DEPARTMENT FOR NEA, NEA/ARP, NEA/EX, S/CT, CA, DS/DSS,
DS/IP/NEA, DS/DSS/ITA, DS/ICI/PII, CENTCOM FOR POLAD

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/14/2013
TAGS: ASEC AMGT PREL PTER EAC
SUBJECT: SANAA EAC MEETING - 14 JANUARY 2003

REF: SANAA 00127

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


1. (S/NF) Begin summary: The Ambassador convened an EAC
meeting on January 14 to assess the security implications of
the two recent detentions of Yemeni citizens in Germany (see
reftel),and how this could affect security for official and
unofficial Amcits in Yemen. Also discussed was the need to
provide security assistance to the National Democratic
Institute (NDI) for its Yemeni election activities. Key
offices and personnel represented at the meeting included:
DCM, POL/ECON, CONS, ADMIN, PD, RSO, ORCA, DAO, OMC, SOC
YEMEN AND FBI. End summary.


2. (S/NF) The Ambassador briefed the EAC on recent
developments in Frankfurt, Germany, where honoring a USG
request, German law enforcement authorities on January 10
arrested two Yemeni males alleged to be linked to funding
al-Qaeda. The two men are being held in Germany pending
extradition to the United States. One arrestee, Sheikh
Mohammed Ali Hassan Moayed, is a popular imam (Islamic
spiritual leader) and a high-ranking official of the Islah
party.


3. (S/NF) The Ambassador explained that upon informing the
Republic of Yemen Government (ROYG) of the arrests, the ROYG
requested that Germany return deport both men to Yemen. The
Ambassador noted that the ROYG has responded to this incident
in a fairly low-key manner so far.


4. (S/NF) The Regional Security Office (RSO) advised about
the location of Sheikh Moayed's mosque in Sanaa. Further,
RSO stated that Embassy personnel are monitoring the area in
the vicinity of the mosque. EAC members noted that a
demonstration following Friday prayers (1/17) was possible,
but the area is not frequented by Amcits or other Westerners.



5. (S/NF) The EAC decided that a warden message to the U.S.
community was not warranted, as the extent of public reaction
was not yet clear. While a warden message and/or other
responsive measures might become necessary, there was as yet
no specific indications of a heightened threat to Amcits or
U.S. interests due to the arrest of al-Moayed.


6. (S/NF) In a separate item, the Ambassador conveyed that
NDI, which is continuing its efforts to facilitate and
monitor the April 2003 Yemeni election, requested security
advice from the Embassy. The RSO will consult with NDI in
the near future to help safeguard NDI's staff members and
operations.
HULL