Al-Qaeda resurges in Yemen, authorities call for help [Archives:2007/1065/Front Page]
Raidan Al-Saqqaf
MARIB, July 4 ) A terrorism Attack against a group of Spanish tourists resulted in ten deaths and eleven injuries last Monday afternoon. The convoy of 13 tourists was driving on four vehicles 50 meters away from the Belquis shrine in, Marib, when a 1982 land cruiser fitted with explosives charged into the group resulting in disaster.
Among the killed were seven Spanish tourists, two Yemeni drivers, and the terrorist who attacked the convey, while the other Spanish tourists, Yemeni drivers and companying Police force were injured in the attack, only one of them is in a critical condition.
Security forces told YemenTimes that they had received intelligence indicating that a terrorism attack was likely to happen in four-days time, however, intelligence failed in narrowing down where or how the attack might take place. A source at the Ministry of interior stated that the authorities have rised the alert level, and enforced protection on all foreign embassies and establishments, as well as government buildings and other potential targets the terrorists might attack, however, the Belquis historical shrine wasn't in their list.
President Saleh told the press that the terrorist who undertook the attack may not be a Yemeni citizen, indicating that the reemergence of organized terrorism in Yemen will be dealt with very seriously, adding that this attack was the work of Al-Qaeda, he also stated that security forces are currently rounding-up suspects and results of the investigation will be announced on due course.
Al-shoura.net opposition website has published a one-week old message from the newly appointed leader of Al-Qaeda in Yemen, Nasir Al-Waheishi aka 'Abu Basir', who is a fugitive escapee having escaped the Political Security prison last year in Sana'a, the message stated that Al-Qaeda will take revenge for the hunt down and murder of its leaders, it also listed four demands to halt its operations, namely the release of all its prisoners, to allow their followers to fight in Iraq, to cut all security cooperation with the international community, and that all government leaders should return to the righteous path.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister or Interior Dr. Rashad Al-Alimi stated that this terrorism attack is the tax Yemen has to pay for its cooperation on the war against terrorism, he indicated that, given the limited resources, Yemen is doing all it can in combating terrorism, and that it need the help of the international community now more than ever in order to curb out the impact of terrorism on Yemen.
King Carlos of Spain has expressed his fury and condemned the attack, and also expressed his sympathy with the families of the casualties. On the same front, a Spanish delegation headed by the Spanish Minister of Tourism, Trade and Industry has visited Yemen to learn about the details of the incident, the delegation has met with Dr. Al-Alimi, and held a joint press conference indicating that this incident will not affect bilateral relations, but it can also help strengthen security cooperation and experiences in this regard.
Intelligence sources has linked this attack to another attack which took place last September in Marib governorate, that attack targeted an Oil refinery, investigations following the September attacks linked two names, Al-Waheishi and Qasim Al-Raimi. An audio cassette confiscated as evidence during the trail of the September attacks had a recording by Qasim Al-Raimi, promising to take revenge for the deaths of several Al-Qaeda leaders, as well as stating some of the demands which were also listed in the recent message from Al-Waheishi one week prior to last Monday's attacks.
The same Intelligence source stated that the mechanism of the attack is 'imported' and can possibly have a far more devastating attack, indicating that it is the same strategy of the September attacks and it is worrying to think about the next potential attack, especially if more advanced explosives were used.
——
[archive-e:1065-v:15-y:2007-d:2007-07-05-p:front]
