SANAA EAC MEETING - JANUARY 14, 2004

S E C R E T SANAA 000148

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: 01/16/2014
TAGS: ASEC AMGT PREL PTER EAC
SUBJECT: SANAA EAC MEETING - JANUARY 14, 2004

REF: REF: MISENHEIMER - S/S-O TELCONS

Classified By: RSO Tim Laas, for reasons 1.5 (b) and (d).


1. (C) Begin Summary: The Ambassador convened a core
Emergency Action Committee on 1/14 to discuss a shooting
incident in Aden involving Yemeni security personnel and
SOC/Yemen personnel. EAC members agreed, following initial
investigation of the incident and apology offered to the
Ambassador by the commander of Yemen's Special Forces, that
the incident: (a) did not indicate a heightened threat for
Amcits in Aden and (b) did not appear to justify cancellation
of SOC/Yemen training for Yemeni security elements in Aden
scheduled later this week. EAC members attending the meeting
included AMB, DCM, RSO, MO, POL/ECON, POL/MIL, DAO, OMC, and
SOC/Yemen.


2. (C) An Emergency Action Committee meeting was convened
at 1700 hours on 01/14/2004 to review a security incident
which occurred that same day at approximately 1445 hours,
when two members of the SOC/Yemen training unit were shot at
in Aden while traveling in a three-vehicle convoy consisting
of two rental vehicles and a Yemeni military security
vehicle. An initial investigation by Embassy Force
Protection Units in Aden determined that the vehicles in the
attacking motorcade contained uniformed members of Yemen's
elite Presidential Guard, and that BG Ahmed Ali
Saleh--commander of the Yemeni Special Forces (YSOF) and a
son of President Saleh---was a passenger in the lead vehicle.
Both motorcades stopped after the shooting and the
Presidential Guard stated that they viewed the SOC/Yemen
motorcade as a possible threat because it did not immediately
pull over to the side of the road, and had Yemeni security
personnel (actually YSOF personnel) in plainclothes who were
carrying arms.


3. (C) During the EAC meeting the Ambassador advised
committee members that BG Ahmed Ali Saleh, had called to
apologize and offer an explanation of the event. BG Saleh
claimed that due to the fact that the armed YSOF military
escorts were not properly dressed and therefore were not
easily identifiable by the Presidential Guards, they were
perceived as a threat. Saleh also relayed to the Ambassador
that the ROYG would determine the cause of the error and take
measures to prevent any reoccurrence of this kind.


4. (C) The EAC decided that this was not a terrorist
attack, and it was agreed that Americans need not be warned
against travel to Aden. The EAC also determined that 1) The
threat to Americans has not increased 2) Yemeni government
officials have reacted in an appropriate and timely manner to
this incident, and 3) That joint training exercises in Aden
between American and Yemeni military units scheduled for
later this week should continue as planned.


5. (C) The Regional Security Office is in contact with the
Ministry of Interior regarding ROYG's ongoing investigation
of the incident, which will include a meeting of all
concerned U.S. and Yemeni organizations on the morning of
January 15th. Members of the DAO, FPD, and SOC/Yemen will
conduct further inquires into the matter through liaison with
members of the Yemeni security apparatus, and will
participate actively in the ROYG investigation.

HULL