Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09SANAA307
2009-02-18 14:07:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Sanaa
Cable title:  

SALEH INSISTS ON RECEIVING GTMO DETAINEES, ASSURES

Tags:  PREL KDRG KISL YM 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXYZ0000
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHYN #0307 0491407
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
R 181407Z FEB 09
FM AMEMBASSY SANAA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 1239
INFO RUEHRH/AMEMBASSY RIYADH 1609
C O N F I D E N T I A L SANAA 000307 

SIPDIS

FOR NEA/ARP:AMACDONALD

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/17/2019
TAGS: PREL KDRG KISL YM
SUBJECT: SALEH INSISTS ON RECEIVING GTMO DETAINEES, ASSURES
AMBASSADOR NO AL-QAEDA SUSPECTS WERE RELEASED

Classified By: Ambassaor Stephen A. Seche for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)

C O N F I D E N T I A L SANAA 000307

SIPDIS

FOR NEA/ARP:AMACDONALD

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/17/2019
TAGS: PREL KDRG KISL YM
SUBJECT: SALEH INSISTS ON RECEIVING GTMO DETAINEES, ASSURES
AMBASSADOR NO AL-QAEDA SUSPECTS WERE RELEASED

Classified By: Ambassaor Stephen A. Seche for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)


1. (C) The Ambassador told President Saleh that there are
profound doubts in Washington about Yemen's ability to
receive and properly manage detainees returned from
Guantanamo. The Ambassador urged the President, in a
February 18 meeting, to reconsider his objection to the
possibility of sending the Yemeni detainees to Saudi Arabia
at least until Yemen had a demonstrated capacity to accept
them. Saleh refused outright, saying "no, no, we will accept
the Yemeni citizens." The Ambassador then urged him to at
least consider sending those who wish to go to Saudi Arabia.
Again the President refused. "I am not saying to send them
now, but in two to three months our center will be ready," he
insisted. "Keep them in Guantanamo until then."


2. (C) The Ambassador explained to the President that the
USG can not wait indefinitely for a program and a center to
be established in Yemen, noting that the USG is exploring
other alternatives. The President repeated that Yemen will
receive its citizens in its own facility, although he also
acknowledged that construction awaits USG or KSA financing.


3. (C) The Ambassador noted that recent developments, like
reports of the release of 108 al-Qaeda suspects, have done
little to encourage confidence in Yemen's ability to receive
the detainees. Saleh assured the Ambassador that those who
were released had only been brought in for questioning and no
evidence links them to al-Qaeda. He added that the ROYG has
another 200 suspects ready for release but they are still in
custody in order to avoid any misunderstanding by the USG.
The Ambassador reiterated the request he made to Interior
Minister Mutaher al-Masri on February 16 to provide the names
of the 108 released suspects. The President directed former
Deputy Prime Minister Rashad al-Alimi (who was present at the
meeting) to do so and also to include the names of the
additional 200 prisoners the ROYG intends to release.

Comment
--------------


4. (C) Saleh's intransigence on this issue suggests that he
is still persuaded he holds all the cards, i.e., Saudi Arabia
is the only viable alternative to returning GTMO detainees to
Yemen, and it will not/not take any of the Yemenis without
his assent. For the moment, we are at an impasse, unwilling
to finance construction of the rehab facility here, and
reluctant to encourage the Saudis to do so, even as Saleh
insists that, absent that support, there will be no facility
into which Yemeni detainees can be placed. Continued
coordination with Saudi Arabia on this issue will be
important as we go forward, since Riyadh has the ROYG's full
attention at present regarding the need to mitigate the
threat to its security emanating from Yemen, which certainly
would include returned GTMO detainees who ended up on the
loose. End Comment.
SECHE