LOCAL SECURITY INSUFFICIENT TO EASE REYDA JEWS'

C O N F I D E N T I A L SANAA 002028 FOR NEA/ARP AMACDONALD FOR SEAS S/E GRICKMAN E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/21/2018 TAGS: PHUM PREF KIRF YM SUBJECT: LOCAL SECURITY INSUFFICIENT TO EASE REYDA JEWS' CONCERN REF: A. SANAA 2005 ¶B. SANAA 1994 Classified By: Ambassador Stephen Seche for reasons 1.4(b) and (d). ¶1. (C) SUMMARY. Representatives of the Jewish community in Reyda confirmed that they would accept President Saleh's offer of land and money to build houses in Sana'a, but worried that their immediate security needs in Reyda were not being addressed. Deputy Head of the National Security Bureau (NSB) Ammar Saleh promised the Ambassador on December 21 that he would personally speak with Amran's security director and the governor to ensure sufficient security measures are implemented. END SUMMARY. ¶2. (C) On December 16, Suliman Yahya Yacoub, a member of the delegation of Reyda Jews who met with President Saleh, confirmed the President's offer of a plot of land in Sana'a for each Jewish family and money to build houses on the land (reftel A). Yacoub was unable to provide further details of the offer. ¶3. (C) In a December 21 conversation with PolOff, Yahya Yaish, a brother of Moshe Yaish Nahari, a Jewish man murdered in Reyda on December 11, said that the overall security posture in Reyda was unchanged since his brother's death, despite last week's assurances of protection from the President and Minister of Interior Rashad al-Masri (reftel B) and a December 16 visit from the security directors of Amran governorate and the town of Reyda. In a December 21 meeting, Deputy Head of the NSB Ammar Saleh assured the Ambassador that he would personally follow up on security measures with Amran's leadership. ¶4. (C) The trial of Abdulaziz al-Abadi, the man accused of murdering Nahari, began on December 20, but after charges were read and the plea entered, was adjourned until December ¶22. The Yaish family continues to lobby heavily for the death penalty for al-Abadi. ¶5. (C) COMMENT. Post will continue to closely monitor the situation in Reyda and report significant updates. END COMMENT. SECHE