By: Mohammad Taher

Translated and edited by: Mahmoud Assamiee

SANA'A, Jan. 03 (Saba)- In a battle demonstrated the strength and ability of the security forces to protect the homeland's gains and preserving its security and stability, al-Qaeda in Yemen received on December,17,2009 deadly attack via pre-emptive twin security operations targeted terrorists' strongholds in Abyan, Arhab, Shabwa and the Capital Sana'a.

The simultaneous operation resulted in killing 34 al-Qaeda elements and arresting 21 others. The operation gained local and foreign appreciation and embodied people's great confidence in security forces. These elements were planning to kill tens of innocent people.

The security forces said they received information indicating that Arhab cell was planning to carry out operations to explode many targets, among them British Embassy, foreign interests and governmental locations, in addition to targeting a number of military and security leaderships.

The sources said the operation was in its final stages and prepared eight of suicide attackers from Al-Qaeda were intending to carry out their operation via explosive belts over their bodies, in addition to using two explosive lading cars had been to be used to attack the British embassy in the manner of the operation carried out against the US embassy.

Arhab Operation

Security sources revealed that forces have received information on new terrorist elements from Al-Qa'eda joining others in Arhab via Jawf governorate were under surveillance in Arhab district in villages of Salam, Bait al-Maran Arhab and Bait Mujali.

They were planning to carry out terrorist and suicide operations in the Capital Sana'a against targets they defined, the British Embassy, locations of oil companies and some foreign schools. But these terrorist plots have been thwarted by military operation carried out in Nawbah, a place where terrorists had gathered there.

The sources clarified that the Nawbah operation had targeted six terrorists elements and resulted in killing three; Hani al-Shu'alan who returned from Guantanamo, Muti' Al-Ratas and Samir al-Matari while the forth one, Ahmad al-Muhares was injured.

Security also seized a group of terrorists possessions showed that the explosives they used were the same used for targeting the Saudi Prince Mohammad bin Nayef. However, al-Tabbah operation targeted a red- Nisan car used by the terrorists for transportation. There were three terrorists inside it and could fly. They were Qasem al-Raimi, Hizam Saleh Mujalli and a third one still unknown.

The Bait- Mujalli operation resulted in arresting the terrorist Aref Mujalli. As a result, the security campaign was trapped by al-Qa'eadah elements, while returning, and clashes erupted between the security forces and the group resulted in injuring one officer and a soldier and arresting all the eight elements forming the group. They were Qasem al-Esami, Ali al-Qutaish, Faraj Hadi Masood al-Ghodra'a, Radman Hadi Masood al-Ghodra'a, Abdullah Mohsen al-Hakami, Ahmad Muhsen al-Hakami, Ahmad Ali Saleh al-Muharess and Aref Saleh Mujalli.

According to the information, 19 of al-Qaedah suspected have been arrested and investigations are still going to know to what extent they have links with the network.

Abyan operation

The security sources said that Abyan operation has been preceded by accurate intelligent surveillance revealed existence of a training camp to al-Qaeda in Al-Ma'ajalah area in al-Mahfad district. The camp included a group of Yemeni and foreign elements and was used for training and housing the terrorists elements to qualify them to carry out terrorist attacks.

The sources added that the unique air strike, which targeted the camp, resulted in killing a number of Yemeni and foreign elements. They were Mohammad al-Kazimi, Mithaq al- Jaled, Ubad Salem Muqbel, Samir Sheikh Mohammad Amqida a cousin of terrorist Abdul-Mune'm al-Qahtani, Saudi Mohammad al-Thara'an and another Saudi element called al-Kindi, in addition to a number of remains yet are unknown because of being carbonized.

The sources indicated that five remains have been buried in al-Ma'ajalah area while six others have been transported to Modia district there and buried in Amqida. Seven others remains have been buried in Zara area in Lauder.

According to the sources, five terrorists have been injured during the operation and have been transformed to Lawder Hospital and then have been transported to unknown places. They are: Abdullah Salem Ali, Haidrah Ali, Mohammad Salem, Abdurrahman Mohammad Qayed and Fattah al-Amri.

The information indicated that the families of the terrorists Mohammad al-Kazmi and Abdullah Sheikh are among the victims. These families have been brought and housed in a camp for preparing food to the elements in the camp which means the raid did not targeted civilians.

Security sources have expressed regret to hitting civilians during carrying out the operation and shouldered the terrorists the responsibility of this for they exposed their families to death when they brought them to isolated place and training camp given that they already know the camp is targeted by security forces.

The information revealed that Saleh al-Kazmi, who was killed in Majalah operation, was one of the al-Qaeda's leaders in Abyan and it was he who established the training camp to the system and provided it with protecting and logistic support in cooperation with the terrorist Abdul-Munaem al-Qahtani, one of the dangerous terrorists in Abyan. They brought a number of families, al-Kazemi family one of them, to cook and provide food to al-Qaeda elements in the camp located in a remote area.

The camp included Yemeni, Saudi and Somali elements affiliated with al-Qaedah some of them were killed by the air strike. Al-Karezmi was arrested four years ago by security forces and released on bail provided by Sheikhs in the area on the basis that he would leave the network. In reverse, he resumed his activities and when the state demanded the sheikhs to hand him on the basis of previous commitments, they were unable to do so.

After the operation, the sources revealed that a meeting to al-Qaeda leaderships has been held secretly in al-Majalah area in al-Mahfad district, namely in the house of the leading element Abdul-Mune'm al-Qahtani who was also targeted by the operation but the operation was delayed because of existing a number of citizens live near the house.

The meeting was attended by Naser al-Wahishi, the so called leader of al-Qaeda in the Peninsula, Badr Saud al-Awfi (Saudi citizen), Omer Naser Zuainah "Abu Hafs" from Lawder, Abyan and Majed Masri, undefined. They flocked into the area to condole families of their colleagues who were killed in Abyan attack.

According to security sources, al- Qaeda elements have booby-trapped the location of the camp where they planted mines and explosives to target the security investigation team and the fact finding committees formed from the government and the parliament while entering the camp.

On December 21, the booby-trapped explosives exploded and killed two officers; Colonel Saleh Assaidi and Masood Qutayani and injured a number of citizens. Another incident occurred also in al-Mahfada as some people took explosives from the hit al-Qaeda camp. Four people have been injured.

Sana'a operation

The sources clarified that coordination to arrest a group of terrorists in the Capital Secretariat have been coincided the previous two operations. This group has linked to Arhab elements. The operation has led to arresting 14 elements, currently are currently interrogated.

These three operations have been hailed by Yemeni audience and politicians who expressed happiness of security forces' success in beating terrorists and thwarted their plots aimed at shedding Yemeni blood and destabilizing their security and stability.
They have been appreciated on Arab and foreign levels.

Shabwa operation

Yemeni Air forces carried out early on Thursday December, 24 an air strike in Rafdh area of al-Said districts in Shabwa governorate killing about 30 al-Qaeda suspects from Yemeni and foreign nationalities.

An official source in the Supreme Security Committee said that the strike targeted a hideout of al-Qaeda, where the al-Qaeda members have been holding a meeting attended by the terrorists Nasir al-Whaishi and Said al-Shihri, Saudi national.

According to the source, al-Qaeda meeting was to plan to carry out a number of terrorist operations against Yemeni and foreign interests, including important economic facilities.


Al-Qeada in the Arabian Peninsula

Al-Qaeda in the Peninsula has been announced early 2009 as al-Qaeda foreign elements poured to Yemen for defaming the country politically and damaging the economic interests, especially in fields of tourism and investments, in addition to evoke terrorists in the region and in the world to come to Yemen from the world and specifically from Saudi Arabia to get the financial support to carry out terrorist operations and implementing foreign plots to destabilize the region.

This terrorist entity has been deluded it was able to plot to establish alleged Islamic Emirate in some governorates like Abyan after the pattern of what Taliban did in Afghanistan when established training camps attracted terrorist elements during the 1990s. They wanted to make governorates of Abyan Shabwa, Mareb, Al-Jawf and Haramout dangerous places to hit tourism there.

It also wanted to approve that this small group of Al Qaeda is regional system to plan to carry out terrorist operations not only in Yemen but also in other regional countries, specifically Saudi Arabia, given a try by the group to assassinate Saudi Assistant Minister of Interior prince Mohammad Bin Nayef bin Abdul-Aziz.

Al- Qaeda elements, since establishing what is called Al-Qaeda in the Arab Peninsula early this year, have worked on carrying out terrorist operations against vital local and foreign interests. They aim at targeting officers and soldiers including targeting military and security leadership in Hadramout on November 3, 2009 and assassinated General Ali Salem Al-Ameri the director of General Security and General Ahmad Ba-Wazir the Director of the Political Security Agency in Hadramout and two bodyguards in addition to kidnapping and killing lieutenant-colonel Bassam Turbush, the Head of Investigation Department in Criminal Investigation Office in Mareb. Al-Qaeda also is accused of kidnapping the German expert in Arhab and Killing the two female German citizens and a Korean citizen, besides targeting tourists in Mareb and Hadramout.

Al- Qaeda cases referred to justice

Statistics indicate that Al Qaeda elements in Yemen have carried out 65 terrorist attacks in the period 1992-2009, all of them aimed at destabilizing Yemen. 25 cases against Al Qaeda have been referred to Justice. They are:

1- Aden Abyan Army case in December 1998 filled against 11 elements.
2- USS Cole Bombing against 12 elements in 2000.
3- Attacking British embassy by four elements on October 5, 2002.
4- Attacking French Oil Tanker Limburg by five elements on November 8, 2002.
5- Attacking Hunt Oil Company's Helicopter against 8 elements in November 8 2002.
6- Sana'a explosions against eight elements in 2002.
7- Anwar al-Kailani case against 18 elements in September 2003.
8- Abu Ali Al- Harithi, the younger, against 27 elements in February 2005.
9- Explosive belt case on February 2005 against 25 elements.
10- Shooting at the US embassy against one element.
11- Case of forging IDs to terrorist elements against nine.
12- Hiding and sheltering wanted terrorists against two Al Qaeda elements.
13- Hiding one element against one element.
14- Forming armed gang and carrying out sabotage acts in Ebb against 18 elements.
15- Assassinating five US doctors in Jibla Hospital in Ebb against 18 elements.
16- Involving in armed gang providing support to its affiliates against 2 elements.
17- Forging passports and sheltering wanted elements and owning arms and explosives against 22 elements.
18- Attempt of assassinating the US ambassador against 11 elements.
19- Trafficking arms to Somalia against five elements from different nationalities.
20- Involving in armed gang and attacking oil facilities in Mareb and Hadramout against 18 elements.
21- Involving in armed gang "Mussaik Cell" to carry out criminal acts against 2 elements.
22- Plotting to carry out criminal acts on European tourists against 11 elements.
23- Tawfiq al-Faqih case which plotted to target tourists against 14 elements.
24- Tarim Cell case which carried out a number of terrorist acts in Hadramout, the Capital and Mareb against 13 elements.
25- Bab Al-Qa' Cell case which targeted foreign workers in Yemen against seven elements.

Terrorist Invoice, High Price

The terrorist operations have been targeting the Republic of Yemen since 1992 have caused great damages on the security. They have negatively reflected on the national economy and the development in the country, besides badly effects on investment and the country's international fame. These damages could be briefed as to follow:

1- The damages infected Yemen because of launching political and media campaign aiming at defaming the Republic of Yemen and its foreign relations and its international status via propagating to falsified information have tried to make Yemen a target to international anti- terrorism campaign. Some local and foreign media outlets have also tried to minify procedures by the government in field of combating terrorism in its all forms.
2- Economic sector, specifically tourist facilities, has been affected, a matter led to reduction of tourist revenues to their lowest levels due to canceling many tourist programs and the sharp reduction of a number of tourists visiting the country. Statistics indicate that nearly 140,000 Yemenis working in tourist filed have lost their work and annual loss of USD 144 millions because of terrorist acts.
3- Revenues from Marine activities in different ports have been reduced due to the increase on insurances on ships and goods coming to Yemen by 350 percent under the pretext of war dangers. This led to increase wages on shipments and increasing the prices of foodstuffs and consumer durable goods in Yemeni markets. Many companies and investing companies and capital owners refrained from carrying out projects had been due to be implanted. Hindering these projects which worth millions of dollars led to loss of many work opportunities and the increase of unemployment levels.
4- Financial and banking sector has faced strong hits and economic turmoil resulted in great losses. Financial transfers from expatriates have been also negatively affected outside the country; a matter forced the government to increase allocations of security measures and exceptional procedures required for combating terrorisms and extremism.
5- Freezing many service and development projects for providing funds required for security measures for combating terrorism phenomenon.
6- Exhaustion many of financial resources have been allocated to improving development and increasing infrastructure level because these funds, mainly allocated for construction and development, have been transferred into security forces and providing them with equipments and possibilities needed to make anti- terrorism process successful.
7- Terrorist operations have led to human losses; killing innocent people and injuring others besides losses of many soldiers and officers, losses are not fiscally measured.

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