YEMEN: ROYG NOTIFIED OF FINAL DISPOSITION OF

C O N F I D E N T I A L SANAA 002003 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/18/2014 TAGS: KAWC PINR PREL PTER YM COUNTER TERRORISM SUBJECT: YEMEN: ROYG NOTIFIED OF FINAL DISPOSITION OF COMBATANT STATUS REVIEW REF: STATE 175727 Classified By: DCM Nabeel Khoury; reasons 1.5 (b),(d). ¶1. (C) Pol/Econ Chief notified Deputy Director of the Yemeni National Security Bureau Ammar Saleh of the enemy combatant determination of Yemeni national Mahdi, Fawaz Na'aman Homoud Abdullah. Saleh expressed concern should the detainees nationality become a press item, saying, "Obviously we do not want this to be high profile -- there are 106 Yemenis in Guantanamo, if I get a notification like this on each one in turn people on the street will think all Yemenis are terrorists." Pol/Econ Chief assured Saleh that the USG does not intend to disclose the identities of individuals determined to be enemy combatants unless they appeal the ruling. ¶2. (U) MFA will be informed separately when Ambassador meets with FM Qirbi. KRAJESKI