Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09SANAA223
2009-02-08 10:04:00
SECRET
Embassy Sanaa
Cable title:
YEMEN'S CTU SHOWS OFF VIDEO OF JANUARY RAID
how-toVZCZCXYZ0001 RR RUEHWEB DE RUEHYN #0223 0391004 ZNY SSSSS ZZH R 081004Z FEB 09 FM AMEMBASSY SANAA TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 1127 INFO RHMCSUU/FBI WASHINGTON DC RHMFISS/USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL
S E C R E T SANAA 000223
SIPDIS
FOR NEA/ARP:AMACDONALD
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/07/2019
TAGS: PREL PTER PINS YM
SUBJECT: YEMEN'S CTU SHOWS OFF VIDEO OF JANUARY RAID
Classified By: DCM Angie Bryan for reasons 1.4(b) and (d).
S E C R E T SANAA 000223
SIPDIS
FOR NEA/ARP:AMACDONALD
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/07/2019
TAGS: PREL PTER PINS YM
SUBJECT: YEMEN'S CTU SHOWS OFF VIDEO OF JANUARY RAID
Classified By: DCM Angie Bryan for reasons 1.4(b) and (d).
1. (C) Saying that the CTU is "completely transparent" with
its partners, Commander of the Counter-terrorism Unit (CTU)
of the Central Security Forces Colonel AbdulRahman al-Miweeti
invited British, French, and American security officers to
view a video of the CTU's January 19 raid on a suspected
al-Qaeda cell in Sana'a. The seven minute video of the raid
showed one suspect surrender and the remains of two others
killed. Another man fled the scene. According to Colonel
al-Miweeti, the raid was not perfect, but the CTU was able to
react within two hours after the suspects moved to a new
house, and the quick-reaction force adjusted tactics after
noticing that the suspects were wearing suicide-belts.
2. (S) Colonel al-Miweeti answered questions following the
screening frankly. The raid occurred less than four
kilometers from Sana'a International Airport, he reported.
He said that he is "not authorized by the Minister of
Interior" to provide the Embassies with either a copy of the
video or records from the interrogation of the surrendered
suspect. "If it was up to me," he said, "you would already
have it."
3. (S) According to CTU liaison officer Major Osama Mohammed
Abdurabu, the CTU was previously involved in the
investigations of raids but the Ministry of Interior has
since revoked this practice. The Forensics Lab now has
jurisdiction over investigations. Head of the Forensics Lab,
General Hamadani, told Legatt that the Minister of Interior
has classified both the report from the January 19 CTU raid
and the report from the September 17 attack on the US Embassy
because it is an "ongoing investigation." General Hamadani
complained that his hands were tied and stated, "You should
have the report on the attack on your own Embassy."
4. (C) COMMENT. An important benefit of cooperation with
the CTU is the organization's eagerness to appear fully
transparent with its donor partners, often in contrast to
other Ministry of Interior entities. Additional support for
the CTU will enhance not only the ROYG's counter-terrorism
capabilities, but also our own ability to obtain accurate
information on these efforts. END COMMENT.
SECHE
SIPDIS
FOR NEA/ARP:AMACDONALD
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/07/2019
TAGS: PREL PTER PINS YM
SUBJECT: YEMEN'S CTU SHOWS OFF VIDEO OF JANUARY RAID
Classified By: DCM Angie Bryan for reasons 1.4(b) and (d).
1. (C) Saying that the CTU is "completely transparent" with
its partners, Commander of the Counter-terrorism Unit (CTU)
of the Central Security Forces Colonel AbdulRahman al-Miweeti
invited British, French, and American security officers to
view a video of the CTU's January 19 raid on a suspected
al-Qaeda cell in Sana'a. The seven minute video of the raid
showed one suspect surrender and the remains of two others
killed. Another man fled the scene. According to Colonel
al-Miweeti, the raid was not perfect, but the CTU was able to
react within two hours after the suspects moved to a new
house, and the quick-reaction force adjusted tactics after
noticing that the suspects were wearing suicide-belts.
2. (S) Colonel al-Miweeti answered questions following the
screening frankly. The raid occurred less than four
kilometers from Sana'a International Airport, he reported.
He said that he is "not authorized by the Minister of
Interior" to provide the Embassies with either a copy of the
video or records from the interrogation of the surrendered
suspect. "If it was up to me," he said, "you would already
have it."
3. (S) According to CTU liaison officer Major Osama Mohammed
Abdurabu, the CTU was previously involved in the
investigations of raids but the Ministry of Interior has
since revoked this practice. The Forensics Lab now has
jurisdiction over investigations. Head of the Forensics Lab,
General Hamadani, told Legatt that the Minister of Interior
has classified both the report from the January 19 CTU raid
and the report from the September 17 attack on the US Embassy
because it is an "ongoing investigation." General Hamadani
complained that his hands were tied and stated, "You should
have the report on the attack on your own Embassy."
4. (C) COMMENT. An important benefit of cooperation with
the CTU is the organization's eagerness to appear fully
transparent with its donor partners, often in contrast to
other Ministry of Interior entities. Additional support for
the CTU will enhance not only the ROYG's counter-terrorism
capabilities, but also our own ability to obtain accurate
information on these efforts. END COMMENT.
SECHE