SANAA EAC MEETING - 30 MARCH 2005

S E C R E T SANAA 000836

SIPDIS

NOFORN

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

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/30/2015
TAGS: ASEC AMGT PREL PTER EAC
SUBJECT: SANAA EAC MEETING - 30 MARCH 2005


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


1. (S/NF) Summary: CDA Nabeel Khoury, convened an EAC
meeting on March 30, 2005 to discuss recent security concerns
including a grenade attack against unidentified ROYG
officials in a busy downtown shopping area, threats from
Yemen citizens who have lost family members in Iraq, and
resurgence of fighting in the Saddah area between ROYG
military and Al-Houthi supporters. The EAC was held in
conjunction with a stress management training visit to post
by the regional compliment psychiatrist. EAC meeting
included key offices and country team personnel. End Summary.


2. (S/NF) CDA informed EAC of a reported attack on a local
ROYG police vehicle, 3/29, in which a grenade was used
against a police car in the Bab-al-Yemen shopping district.
The motive remained unknown at the time of the meeting
despite discussions with MOI and other post contacts. EAC
members agreed that sending a warden message would be
prudent, advising American Citizens to exercise caution in
the area until more information is availabe from ROYG. (RSO
Note: RSO met with MOI chief of staff, who had been briefed
by the Minister of Interior, indicating that the attack was
criminal in nature, isolated, and the security situation was
back to normal in the area. MOI officials also indicated to
RSO that the purpetrator had already been arrested. CDA, on
the other hand, was told by another ROYG official that the
incident was related to the violence in Saddah and that the
purpetrator was probably an Al-Houthi supporter).


3. (S/NF) CDA also discussed the issue of renewed fighting
between government forces and followers of the slain rebel
cleric Hussein al-Houthi in Saddah. CDA noted that the
situation would be monitored closely as to the level of
conflict and potential danger for westerners in Sana'a as a
result of the violence.


4. Visiting regional compliment psychiatrist attended the
EAC and used the discussion to launch a group session on
stress management, using the EAC related incidents as
examples of stress causes for officers living and working in
Yemen.
Khoury