Members
of al-Qaeda address a crowd and take photos in Yemen's
southern
province of Abyan, Dec. 22. They said they had no issues
with the
Yemen Army, and warned civilians not oppose al-Qaeda.
Yemen Times, Yemen
Al-Qaeda Shows Up at Yemen Protest; Warns Yemenis Not to Resist
"More
than 15,000 protestors, including members of al-Qaeda, gathered in Al-Majanah
village, which had been attacked by the Yemeni Air Force ... Al-Qaeda members
announced at the public protest that their war is against the United States,
and not the Yemeni Army."
SANA’A: Human
rights activists and members of parliament have gathered in front of the cabinet
building to protest what they call, "unfair government behavior" and condemning
the government's military attack on Abyan last week.
They demanded that an
official committee of parliament members and activists be appointed to
investigate. At the same time, they rejected the notion that al-Qaeda existed
in Abyan, which was the reason given for the government's assault.
Lawyer and president of the
National Organization for Defending Human Rights and Freedom, Mohammad Allaw, told
the gathering crowd: "We suffer living in a country ruled by a government that
doesn't respect the lives of its citizens and that exists to destroy their
lives with American aircraft, as occurred in Abyan. I hereby call on all free
people to condemn this policy and to organize events and sit-ins to protest the
killing of innocent people in the name of fighting terrorism."
"Abducting free
journalists and activists and closing down newspapers that criticize government
actions will never stop us from speaking the truth on behalf of the people. Those
who allowed the Al-Mahfad district in Abyan to be attacked are the ones who oppose
national unity," he continued.
Fu'ad Dahaba, an MP of the opposition
conservative Islah Party, said a state that doesn't abide by its own constitution
doesn't deserve to exist. "Massacring citizens is a crime that history
will never forget. Therefore, I call on all politicians, scholars and educated
people, as well as all segments of society to stand against injustice and rid us
of the current government, because it does not deserve to rule us."
At the same time yesterday, more
than 15,000 protesters, including members of al-Qaeda, gathered in the Al-Mahfad
district's Al-Majanah village, which was attacked by the Yemeni Air Force last
Thursday. Al-Qaeda members announced at the public protest that their war is
against the United States, and not the Yemeni Army.
In
Yemen's Al-Mahfad district, the site of anti-al-Qaeda bombing
by
the Yemen government, al-Qaeda holds protest defending its
Al-Jazeera showed part of the protests. Abdullah Ahmad Al-Raimi, an al-Qaeda leader who is on
the government's Most Wanted List, was recognized in the crowd. Al-Raimi was extradited
by Qatar. After serving three years
of a four-year sentence, he escaped.
Just a few days ago, the government
published his photo in several publications, calling him a "criminal at
large." In the video he is seen standing with a bodyguard.
Among the protestors were also
several leaders of the Southern Movement, who have been aggressively demanding
an independent state in South Yemen since last year.
[Editor's Note: South Yemen, also known as
Aden, was an independent state until 1990, when it united with North Yemen.]
At the weekly press
conference on Tuesday, Minister of Information Hassan Al-Lawzi denied there
were any civilian victims of the air raid on Abyan and emphasized that the raid
was only against elements al-Qaeda.
"President Saleh has ordered
that a committee be established to investigate the Abyan raid, which will be
headed by the governor of Abyan and other senior officials," Al-Lawzi
said.
He added that the minister of
state for defense and security, Rashad Al-Alimi, will present a report to parliament
the following day, detailing the al-Qaeda plans that were foiled by the attack.
The Yemen Times will work to obtain a copy of the report as soon as its available.
Al-Lawzi also discussed the 62
operations conducted by al-Qaeda since 1992, noting that by virtue of these
activities, al-Qaeda had taken many innocent lives and severely damaged the
national economy.
Posted by WORLDMEETS.US
Also yesterday, the Interior
Ministry confirmed that it has information that al-Qaeda in Lawder, a city in the
Abyan Governorate, is planning to take revenge for the attack. The ministry has
therefore directed security forces in Abyan, Shabwa and Al-Baida’a to intensify
their operations against al-Qaeda. So far, strikes have been carried out against
sites in Abyan, Arhab and the Capital Secretariat. About 17 al-Qaeda members have
been arrested in the operations.
