Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09SANAA2114
2009-11-23 14:07:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Sanaa
Cable title:
THREE GUNMAN ARRESTED NEAR HOME OF YEMENI JEWISH
how-toVZCZCXYZ0001 RR RUEHWEB DE RUEHYN #2114 3271407 ZNY CCCCC ZZH R 231407Z NOV 09 FM AMEMBASSY SANAA TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 3264 INFO RUEHAM/AMEMBASSY AMMAN 0269
C O N F I D E N T I A L SANAA 002114
SIPDIS
NEA/ARP ANDREW MACDONALD DRL JBARGHOUT AND JKERN AMMAN RINGRAHAM
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/23/2019
TAGS: KIRF ASEC YM
SUBJECT: THREE GUNMAN ARRESTED NEAR HOME OF YEMENI JEWISH
LEADER
REF: SANAA 2043
Classified By: Ambassador Stephen Seche for reasons 1.4 (b) and (c).
C O N F I D E N T I A L SANAA 002114
SIPDIS
NEA/ARP ANDREW MACDONALD DRL JBARGHOUT AND JKERN AMMAN RINGRAHAM
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/23/2019
TAGS: KIRF ASEC YM
SUBJECT: THREE GUNMAN ARRESTED NEAR HOME OF YEMENI JEWISH
LEADER
REF: SANAA 2043
Classified By: Ambassador Stephen Seche for reasons 1.4 (b) and (c).
1. (C) Police officials reported that government security
guards at Tourist City, an apartment complex where the ROYG
houses and provides protection for 14 Yemeni Jewish families
(65 people),detained on November 18 three men acting in a
suspicious manner near the home of Rabbi Yahya Bin-Yusuf, the
community's leader. Rabbi Yahya told PolChief at a meeting
in his apartment November 22 that two men acting in a rude
and suspicious manner had been at his apartment November 12.
He was outside the complex when the police called him
November 18 to come back to identify the men, one of whom
proved to be one of the earlier visitors. (Note. Yahya had
provided the guards with a description of the men who visited
him on the 12th on what is now presumed to have been a
surveillance run. End Note.) A search of the men revealed a
pistol hidden in the belt at the small of the back of one man
and another weapon in the car. Though they did not give
Rabbi Yahya any information as to their identities, Yahya
said the police told him the men confessed to coming to
Tourist City to kill him.
2. (C) The rabbi said he is not sure if the Houthis are
behind this first viable threat to him since relocating to
Sana'a, but he noted he frequently receives threats over the
telephone. (Note. The Jewish families have resided in
Tourist City in Sana'a under ROYG protection since they were
relocated from Sa'ada in March 2007 because of direct threats
from the Houthis. End Note.) When the families left Sa'ada,
Yahya said, the Houthis took possession of all their land and
belongings.
3. (C) Tourist City, a government-owned apartment complex,
is located directly across the road from the U.S. Embassy and
provides a clear view of the Embassy compound. In
coordination with RSO follow-up, Embassy FSN Investigators
discovered those detained were from Marib were still in
custody, and the investigation is ongoing as to what links if
any these men might have to other groups. The police
promised to step up security measures in Tourist City.
SECHE
SIPDIS
NEA/ARP ANDREW MACDONALD DRL JBARGHOUT AND JKERN AMMAN RINGRAHAM
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/23/2019
TAGS: KIRF ASEC YM
SUBJECT: THREE GUNMAN ARRESTED NEAR HOME OF YEMENI JEWISH
LEADER
REF: SANAA 2043
Classified By: Ambassador Stephen Seche for reasons 1.4 (b) and (c).
1. (C) Police officials reported that government security
guards at Tourist City, an apartment complex where the ROYG
houses and provides protection for 14 Yemeni Jewish families
(65 people),detained on November 18 three men acting in a
suspicious manner near the home of Rabbi Yahya Bin-Yusuf, the
community's leader. Rabbi Yahya told PolChief at a meeting
in his apartment November 22 that two men acting in a rude
and suspicious manner had been at his apartment November 12.
He was outside the complex when the police called him
November 18 to come back to identify the men, one of whom
proved to be one of the earlier visitors. (Note. Yahya had
provided the guards with a description of the men who visited
him on the 12th on what is now presumed to have been a
surveillance run. End Note.) A search of the men revealed a
pistol hidden in the belt at the small of the back of one man
and another weapon in the car. Though they did not give
Rabbi Yahya any information as to their identities, Yahya
said the police told him the men confessed to coming to
Tourist City to kill him.
2. (C) The rabbi said he is not sure if the Houthis are
behind this first viable threat to him since relocating to
Sana'a, but he noted he frequently receives threats over the
telephone. (Note. The Jewish families have resided in
Tourist City in Sana'a under ROYG protection since they were
relocated from Sa'ada in March 2007 because of direct threats
from the Houthis. End Note.) When the families left Sa'ada,
Yahya said, the Houthis took possession of all their land and
belongings.
3. (C) Tourist City, a government-owned apartment complex,
is located directly across the road from the U.S. Embassy and
provides a clear view of the Embassy compound. In
coordination with RSO follow-up, Embassy FSN Investigators
discovered those detained were from Marib were still in
custody, and the investigation is ongoing as to what links if
any these men might have to other groups. The police
promised to step up security measures in Tourist City.
SECHE