REPORTS OF AL-QAIDA ARRESTS IN YEMEN

S E C R E T SANAA 000657

SIPDIS

NOFORN

E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/03/2012
TAGS: PTER YM COUNTER TERRORISM
SUBJECT: REPORTS OF AL-QAIDA ARRESTS IN YEMEN

Classified By: DCM: AGMISENHEIMER FOR REASONS 1.5 (B) AND (D)


1. (U) Eleven persons with suspected links to the al-Qaida
terror network, including two of the Yemeni government's
most-wanted terror suspects, have been arrested in various
parts of Yemen, according to an April 1 Associated Press
report datelined Sanaa. Citing a Yemeni security official,
AP reported that the eleven suspects are now detained in the
intelligence prison in Sanaa, and that the two most-wanted
suspects were arrested last week, but further details were
not available.


2. (S/Noforn) The two "most-wanted suspects" referenced in
the AP report in all likelihood are Fawaz al-Rabai'e (aka
Furqan) and Hamza al-Majali, and ORCA has reported in its
channels about their recent arrests by Yemeni authorities.
Identities of the remaining nine suspects, as well as timing
and circumstances of their arrests are unclear. The Yemenis
may have arrested nine new individuals recently; it is just
as plausible that these "nine" could represent a Yemeni spin
on their combined total of successful moves against specific
Al-Qaida individuals over some recent period, or perhaps even
since August 2002.


3. (C) We have no doubt that the AP report was generated by
sources close to President Salih, likely either Mohamed Sudam
or Fares Sanibani. Its purpose was to underline -- for
anyone to see -- that the ROYG remains firmly committed to
the pursuit of Al-Qaida terrorists in Yemen (which is clearly
perceived both in Yemen and across the region as a joint CT
effort with the USG),notwithstanding ROYG views regarding
the war with Iraq.
HULL