Unification Day 2002 under a cloud of uncertainty Yemen security on high alert [Archives:2002/20/Front Page]

With Unification Day around the corner, Yemen will be on high alert this week as officials attempt to close the door on potential violence on several fronts.
Military brigades have been deployed to Mareb, al-Jawf and Shabwa following statements by President Ali Abdullah Saleh last week that officials believe there is a plot to attack security in these areas.
In a meeting with top security and military officials, President Saleh warned that a plot to sabotage security is to be carried out in the three tribal areas where its believed suspected al-Qaeda elements are hiding.
The president called for cooperation between security and military personnel and challenged security officials to enforce Yemeni law or quit.
Unnamed sources have also told The Times that the government plans to impose stiff penalties against anyone selling explosives.
Military brigades in each of the three governorates will be put at the disposal of governors.
The governors have also been ordered to make a list of wanted criminals, so they can be tracked and brought to justice. They are also to report their security situations on a monthly basis to the prime minister and president.
Meanwhile, intelligence and security officials are holding meetings on a continuous basis to deal with threats of a group calling itself Sympathizers of al-Qaeda. The group has claimed responsibility for several bombings in Sanaa last month.
Observers believe the last bombing was a message to Mansur Rasheed, thought along with other intelligence officials to be handling the campaign seeking al-Qaeda members in Yemen.
Opposition sources said investigations with people detained over such bombings have shown the involvement of Abu Asem al-Ahdal and Abu Ali al-Hassan in such attacks that rocked Sanaa last month.
Al-Ahdal and al-Harithy are being tracked by security men for they are suspected of being prime leaders of the al-Qaeda in Yemen. They are thought to hide in the three tribal areas of Mareb, Al Jawf and Shabwa.
In Sanaa, security has been tightened mainly around the presidential compound. Large vehicles have been kept from passing through the road near the compound.
While Unification Day will still be celebrated as usual as holiday this month, some formal celebrations normally planned by the government have been cancelled due to the security threats.
Yemen also decided last week to call off the festivities on the 12th anniversary of the Yemeni unification on May 22, 1990. It was officially said that the decision was taken to express sympathy and solidarity with the Palestinians. However, opposition politicians believe there are security reasons for such a decision and that the government is taking al-Qaeda, sympathizers threats very seriously.
A high ranking opposition leader, speaking on condition not to be identified, told the Yemen Times that The calling off of the festivities is a part of the security measures the government is undertaking right now. President Saleh himself acknowledged that there were great challenges facing the security system in the country, he observed.
Other political observers commented that Yemen should have channeled the money allotted to the festivities to the Palestinians to show that the real reason behind cancelling the festivities is sympathy with the Palestinians rather than potential terrorist attacks.
The Yemen Times tried to get security men and people in charge of the festivities comment on such claims, but to no avail.


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