(S/NF) KUDOS FOR REPORTING ON THE SOUTHERN

S E C R E T STATE 102971

NOFORN
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/02/2034
TAGS: PINR PGOV PTER YM
SUBJECT: (S/NF) KUDOS FOR REPORTING ON THE SOUTHERN
MOVEMENT IN YEMEN (C-ME9-02050)

REF: A. SANAA 001679

B. SANAA 000430

Classified By: MICHAEL P. OWENS, ACTING DIR, INR/OPS. REASON: 1.4(C).


1. (S/NF) WASHINGTON ANALYSTS ARE FOLLOWING THE SOUTHERN
MOVEMENT IN YEMEN CLOSELY AND GREATLY APPRECIATE EMBASSY
SANAA'S REPORTING ON THE SOUTHERN MOVEMENT, WHICH PROVIDES
VALUABLE INSIGHTS INTO DEVELOPMENTS ON THE GROUND IN YEMEN.
WE ARE MOST CONCERNED ABOUT THE PROSPECTS OF THE SOUTHERN
MOVEMENT ADOPTING VIOLENT TACTICS AGAINST THE YEMEN
GOVERNMENT, AND REPORTING SUCH AS SANAA 001679, FACTORS
HEAVILY INTO OUR ANALYSIS OF THE GOALS AND TACTICS OF THE
SOUTHERN MOVEMENT LEADERS.


A. (S/NF) WE APPRECIATE THE BIO INFORMATION ON GENERAL
TAMMAH IN SANAA 000430 AND WOULD LIKE MORE INFORMATION ON HIM
AND HIS RELATIONSHIP TO THE SOUTHERN MOVEMENT, POST,S TIME
AND RESOURCED PERMITTING. IS HE CONNECTED TO EXILED FORMER
SOUTH YEMENI LEADERS OR ONLY TO SOUTHERNERS INSIDE YEMEN?


B. (S/NF) HOW STRONG IS THE SOUTHERN MOVEMENT? FOR
EXAMPLE, HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE MEMBERS OF THE MOVEMENT? PLEASE
DESCRIBE THE SOUTHERN MOVEMENT'S ACCESS TO WEAPONS AND THE
TYPES OF WEAPONS.


C. (S/NF) WHAT IS THE LEVEL OF POPULAR SUPPORT FOR THE
SOUTHERN MOVEMENT THROUGHOUT THE SOUTHERN YEMENI
GOVERNORATES? ARE THERE COMPETING FACTIONS OR TRENDS?


D. (S/NF) DOES GENERAL TAMMAH OR OTHER SOUTHERN MOVEMENT
LEADERS HAVE CONNECTIONS TO ACTIVE ELEMENTS OF THE YEMENI
MILITARY?


E. (S/NF) PLEASE PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION ON THE MOVEMENT'S
RELATIONSHIP TO ISLAMISTS. COULD POST ALSO PROVIDE FURTHER
INFORMATION ON SHEIKH TARIQ AL-FADHLI'S INCREASINGLY CENTRAL
ROLE IN THE MOVEMENT AND HIS RELATIONSHIP WITH OTHER LEADERS?
ARE THERE ANY CONNECTIONS BETWEEN AL-QA'IDA IN THE ARABIAN
PENINSULA (AQAP) AND THE SOUTHERN MOVEMENT OR OTHER EXTREMIST
NETWORKS IN THE SOUTH? HOW HAVE SOUTHERN MEMBERS OF THE
ISLAH OPPOSITION PARTY RESPONDED TO THE MOVEMENT?


F. (S/NF) PLEASE PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION ON THE MOVEMENT'S
RELATIONSHIP TO SAUDI ARABIA AND OTHER ARAB STATES, ANY PLANS
THEY BELIEVE SAUDI ARABIA IS MAKING TO INFLUENCE YEMENI
AFFAIRS, AND TIMING OR CONSTRAINTS EFFECTING RIYADH'S
DECISIONS.


G. (S/NF) IF POSSIBLE, PLEASE PROVIDE INFORMATION FROM
OTHER SOUTHERN MOVEMENT MEMBERS, BESIDES GENERAL TAMMAH.


2. (U) PLEASE CITE C-ME9-02050 IN THE SUBJECT LINE OF
REPORTING IN RESPONSE TO THE ABOVE QUESTIONS.
CLINTON