SANAA EAC MEETING - OCTOBER 2, 2004

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 SANAA 002559

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: 10/02/2014
TAGS: ASEC AMGT PREL PTER EAC
SUBJECT: SANAA EAC MEETING - OCTOBER 2, 2004

REF: A. SANAA 2539

B. SANAA 2475

Classified By: RSO Tim Laas, for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).


1. (S/NF) Begin summary: The Chief of Mission (COM)
convened an EAC meeting on October 3, to assess recent threat
information and discuss security-related issues followed by a
review of the Emergency Action Plan. EAC members concluded
the meeting in agreement that no imminent threat was
discernable. Additionally, the COM called for a town meeting
to review community security concerns and directed the RSO to
raise awareness among Employees regarding the security
environment following an increase in regional chatter
indicating attack planning. Also, on the agenda was
potential fallout from fighting between Republic Of Yemen
Government forces and a Shiite strongman in Sa'da, as well as
the verdicts in the "Gang of Fifteen" and "USS Cole" trials
in Sanaa. Key offices and personnel represented at the
meeting included: COM, DCM, POL/ECON, CONS, MO, PD, RSO,
POL/MIL, SOC YEMEN, AND LEGAT and IMO. End summary.


2. (C) The EAC began with a review of the overall threat
environment noting the potential for serious security
incidents following a series of major events in Yemen and the
region to include the end of several weeks fighting between
ROYG forces and a Shiite rebel Al-Huthi, who was killed in
combat, as well as the handing down of severe sentences to
USS Cole trial defendants. Numerous events raise the
spectrum of retribution by family or friends of victims and
defendants although no imminent threats are now known.


3. (SBU) The DCM pointed to media coverage of angry
reactions to the Cole verdict by family members of the
convicts and the EAC discussed increased chatter within the
region that indicates the potential for a series of soft
target attacks against westerners and local government
officials cooperating with the United States Government in
the war on terrorism. The EAC noted already high and
appropriate levels of security from RSO assets.


4. (SBU) PER REFTEL, RSO advised the EAC of one incident,
cable Sanaa 2539, whereby the Surveillance Detection Team
identified a man filming the Hadah residential compound
(where many official Americans live) on October 1. No
specific recommendations for improving security coverage
resulted from the EAC. EAC members agreed that Mission
personnel should again be urged to vary their times and
routes and avoid a predictable pattern in any other way and
the COM directed the Consular officer to arrange a town
meeting to review security with the community. The town
meeting is scheduled for October 10, 2004.


5. (SBU) The EAC discussed the recent degradation of
Embassy perimeter security, reftel Sanaa 2475, resulting from
ROYG,s unilateral removal of ram resistant barriers. RSO
advised EAC members that a diplomatic note went forward
requesting ROYG to secure the now open perimeter with
barriers. The COM informed the EAC that he discussed the
matter with the Minister of Interior during a state sponsored
dinner on September 30th, receiving assurances that ROYG
would provide a final solution soon regarding perimeter
security. EAC members discussed the possible impact that the
loss of perimeter security might have on Embassy receptions
held behind the Ambassador,s residence and agreed that the
propriety of events at that location will depend on ROYG
commitment to lock down the street with positive physical
security measures to prevent the possible forcing of vehicle
born improvised explosive devices VBIEDs. RSO noted a recent
DS assessment that the Embassy, EMR and MSG have excellent
structural reinforcements but an outdoor reception close to
the exterior wall might result in heavy casualties if a VBIED
were placed against the wall during an event such as the
Marine Ball.


6. (SBU) The RSO noted DS funded physical security
construction at the Yemen American Language Institute to
install a public screening point where by the public could
not force their way into YALI past unarmed Embassy guards.
Unfortunately, Yemen city planning officials have threatened
to arrest contract workers doing the upgrade despite MOI,s
acceptance of the work. RSO noted a Thursday, September 30,
incident whereby a student failed the exams and returned to
the school with angry and armed family members. MOI
personnel arrested the aggressive family members and secured
the institute with additional armed guards. RSO is working
with the MOI to resolve the standoff on the needed security
upgrade in the school.


7. (SBU) EAC members discussed the recent alleged
Al-Qaida tapes released by Al-Jazeera and the DCM requested
actual text of the statement to review for Yemen specific
references. RSO provided the DCM a Reuter's report that read
an audio tape attributed to Ayman al-Zawahiri, al-Qa'eda's
2nd in command, called on Muslims to organize resistance
against "crusader America" and its allies throughout the
world. "We should not wait until U.S., British, French,
Jewish, South Korean, Hungarian or Polish forces enter Egypt,
the Arabian Peninsula, Yemen and Algeria before we resist,"
said the tape.


8. (SBU) At the conclusion of the EAC, the DCM led a
section by section review of the Emergency Action Plan (EAP)
canvassing the EAC for Emergency Action Committee input. EAC
members made numerous recommendations for improvements and
reviewed current "trip wires". The DCM directed EAC members
to complete their review and EAP updates within 48 hours.
KRAJESKI