Canadian Nexen Hit Next

Disarmed? So it’s not mortars this time…ieds?

Blast near Canadian oil firm Nexen offices in Yemen

SANAA, April 10 (Reuters) – A blast shook an area near the headquarters of Canadian oil company Nexen (NXY.TO: Quote, Profile, Research) (NXY.N: Quote, Profile, Research) in the Yemeni capital Sanaa early on Thursday but there were no casualties, a Yemeni security official said.

A second explosive device was disarmed, the official told Reuters.

The blast followed Sunday’s mortar attack that broke windows at a compound housing Americans and other Westerners in Sanaa, which was claimed by an al Qaeda-linked group in the poor Arabian Peninsula country.

Canadians, Indians Find Oil, New al Qaeda Target

Congrats.

Calvalley, Reliance consortium finds oil in Yemen

MUMBAI, April 8 (Reuters) – A consortium led by Canada’s Calvalley Petroleum (CVIa.TO: Quote, Profile, Research) that includes India’s Reliance Industries Ltd (RELI.BO: Quote, Profile, Research) has struck oil in a block in Yemen, Reliance’s president for international business said on Tuesday.

“We have drilled a well and there are oil shows, but we have not tested the oil so far,” Reliance’s Atul Chandra told Reuters, confirming a report in the Economic Times.

“All indications are there that is oil there and testing will be done subsequently,” he said, adding it was too early to ascertain the production profile of the find.

Islah and GPC in non-Joint Meeting

Interesting. Could be benign – nothing more than GPC trying to create suspicion. Then again, there have been renewed reports lately of the Saleh/al-Ahmar coalition being repackaged.

GPC leading member reveals of GPC-Islah unannounced dialogue

2008-04-07

Almotamar.net – Member of the General Committee, the Head of the Political Office of the General People’s Congress (GPC) ruling party Abdullah Ahmed Ghanim revealed Monday about an undeclared dialogue between the GPC and the Yemeni Congregation for Reform (Islah) party, separately from the rest of the Joint Meeting Parties (JMP) grouping members.

Mareb Press Reporter Arrested in Taiz

Mareb Press reporter Munir al Kahali was apparently arrested yesterday by political security in Taiz. The paper says that he was picked up after it covered the popular demonstrations in Taiz following the arrest of popular activist/songwriter Fahd al Qarni. This comes after multiple reports of journalists being harassed at the event, their cameras confiscated. Al-Qarni’s cassettes of political satire have been banned by the government in the past.

 

بتوجيهات من مدير الأمن السياسي بمحافظة تعز مراسل مأرب برس يتعرض للاعتقال

أخبار الوطن: سعيد ثابت لـ” مأرب برس ” ألاعتقال غير قانوني وعلى السلطات أن ترفع يدها عن الصحفيين لأنهم ليسوا طرفا فيما يدور في اليمن من أحداث وإنما هم ناقلين لها.. ومشائخ مأرب ينددوا بالاعتقال

الإثنين 07 إبريل-نيسان 2008 / مأرب برس – خاص

 

أقدمت عناصر تابعة لجهاز الأمن السياسي بمحافظة تعز على اعتقال مراسل المواقع ” مأرب برس” الإخباري يوم أمس الأحد عقب قيام الموقع بتغطية الحراك الشعبي في محافظة تعز وتداعيات اعتقال الفنان الشعبي فهد القرني

وكان أخر تواصل لمراسل الموقع ” منير الاكحلي ” يوم أمس حيث أكد لهيئة تحرير الموقع عن تلقيه لتهديدات شخصية من قبل مدير جهاز الأمن السياسي بمحافظة تعز بالاعتقال بعد أن صرح في وقت سابق للموقع عن وجود توجيهات عليا بالتحفظ على الفنان فهد القرني وتم نشر تلك التصريحات الموثقة

7 Arrested in Post-Al Qaeda Attack Roundup

Many sources out there have seven people arrested so far. According to al-Riyadh, many of the seven “Ilsamists” arrested have information about “suicide bombers.” The article does not make clear whether the arrests were specifically linked to the arrest of Abdullah al-Raimi on 5 April, or whether they were picked up following the projectile attack. The AFP article for its part does say that the seven were arrested “in conection with the attack,” however. If you recall, the AQ-Yemen video released earlierl by the “Jund al-Yemen Brigades” included statements by an “Abu Miqdad” claiming he was a suicide bomber ready to sacrifice himself for UBL. Also, apparently the projectiles were launched by three people from a vehicle in the neighborhood. 

(the al-Riyadh article is rather silly in the way it mixes in reporting of AQ and the southern riots…as if the two are linked)

UPDATE: AP is saying the seven were arrested “on suspicion of involvement in the attacks.”

 

القاعدة) تتبنى الهجوم على سكن أمريكيين في صنعاء.. وصالح يشكل لجنة لمعالجة الأوضاع بالجنوب)

:صنعاء – محمد القاضي

شنت السلطات الأمنية اليمنية في العاصمة صنعاء حملة اعتقالات على خلفية الهجوم الذي تعرض له مبني يسكن فيه عمال شركة هنت الأمريكية للنفط بالقذائف مساء الأحد فيما مسؤل امني قال ان القاعدة تقف وراء الهجوم

وقالت المصادر ل”الرياض” ان حملة الاعتقالات طالت نحو سبعة اشخاص ينتمون الى جماعات اسلامية ربما يكون لديها معلومات تقود الى المفجرين. كما قامت باستجواب بعض سكان الحي المجاور للمبني واخذت معلومات منهم واطلقت سراحهم. وكان مجمع حدة السكني تعرض للقصف بثلاث قذائف متفجرة لم ينتج عنها اصابات. وقالت السفارة الأمريكية في بيان حصلت “الرياض” على نسخة منه ان قذيفتين “.انفجرتا داخل المجمع بينما انفجرت القذيفة الثالثة خارج المجمع. ودعت السفارة التي أغلق الشارع الذي يمر من إمامها “كل الرعايا الأمريكيين” ب “توخي الحذر في هذه المنطقة من المدينة

Read the rest:

 

US ‘works closely’ with Yemeni government on rocket attack

WASHINGTON (AFP) — The United States said Monday it was “working closely” with the Yemeni government on a rocket attack that targeted a compound in Sanaa where US oil experts were reportedly housed.

“We are working quite well and quite closely with the Yemeni government on it,” State Department spokesman Sean McCormack told reporters when asked for details of the attack.

AQ-Yemen Strikes Again?

 

It appears as though al Qaeda influenced elements have attempted to target westerners again. This time, instead of going after the US embassy, they launched mortars at a housing complex in the affluent suburb of Hadda. I know that the there is a secured complex next to the (Best Western) Haddah Hotel (you can see the rows of houses in the  SW corner of the complex above). The Yemen Observer called the targeted buildings the “Kuwait Housing Complex,” a name I am not familiar with.  It is note worthy that Hadda Hotel is on the complete opposite end of Sana’a from the US Embassy and the other western hotels.  The article from al-Ghad says that the buildings hit housed employees of Safr Oil (Formerly Hunt until it was turned over to the Yemeni government). It also says that “casualties were transported by ambulances”…which is contrary to the English reports which said there were no casualties.

UPDATE: AQ-Yemen has claimed credit. The claim wasn’t posted in the forums though…this isn’t strange necessarily strange for the new al Qaeda in Yemen. It also appears I was right about the location. This article says it was behind the “Ramada” hotel owned by Kuwaiti investment – I guess its a Ramada now instead of a Best Western – getting classier.

Blasts Hit Foreigners’ Complex in Yemen

By AHMED AL-HAJ

SAN’A, Yemen (AP) – A housing complex used by foreigners in Yemen’s capital came under attack late Sunday, with explosions shattering windows and prompting residents to evacuate with suitcases and boxes.

Nobody was injured in the attack on the upscale Haddah neighborhood. The U.S. Embassy said “three explosive rounds” hit the compound, with two blowing up inside and the third outside.

“The Embassy advises all U.S. citizens to exercise caution in this area of the city,” the statement said.

After the blasts, Westerners were seen evacuating the compound. Some rolled suitcases and carried boxes to vehicles with diplomatic plates. Women huddled in idling cars, while children lugged backpacks.

Full Text of al Wasat’s al Qaeda Interview

Just in the Arabic now. When I get some time I’ll go back and see if I can translate some of it.

لاأمان للسواح لأن دولهم محاربة ولسنا معنيين بأمان الدولة لهم 

هذا اللقاء تم بواسطة الهاتف مع المسئول الإعلامي للقاعدة في اليمن واسمه الحركي أحمد منصور. تم اللقاء عبر شخص يكنى (أبو عبد الرحمن) والذي يتواصل معنا ف

ي كل قضية لها علاقة بالقاعدة ولم يكذب في أي معلومة أبلغنا إياها. هذا المصدر أكد التصريح الأمني لصحيفة سبتمبر أنه شخصية معروفة للجهات الأمنية في معرض محاولة تكذيبها لتصريحه في عدد (الوسط) الماضي إلا أن تكذيب سبتمبر اثبت ما جاء في التصريحات من حيث لا تدري. في هذا اللقاء يؤكد المسئول الإعلامي بعض القضايا المعروفة ويكشف عن أخرى ولعل أهمية الحديث تأتي من أن هذا أول لقاء لمسئول من القاعدة وقد راعى أن يكون حذرا ربما لاحتياطات أمنية. ولكن ما يهم هنا هو التأكيد على أن الأجهزة الأمنية ما زالت تتعامل

مع القاعدة بحسب ما تعرفه عن شخصياتها التي لم تعد فعاله فيما تتجاهل مدا قاعديا يتجه صوب شباب عاطل وفقير

Nabil al Mankali Will be Extradited to Spain

No death for you. Lets see if Spain does what Yemen does with its citizens arrested for terrorism in foreign countries.

Yemen to extradite criminal to Spain  

SANA’A, Jan. 29 (Saba) - Well-informed sources have said that Yemen would extradite the Spanish citizen Nabil Nankly, who has been jailed in Yemen on the charges of terror acts to his country.

The sources pointed that the extradition of Nankly would be within the criminal extradition agreement signed by the two countries in 2007.

Nabil was accused of carrying out and plotting of terrorist attacks, bombings and assassinating big figures in Yemen.

He was arrested in 1997 while attempting to shoot a foreign tourist at a hotel in the capital Sana’a.

Al Wasat Interview with al Qaeda Information Officer

A new interview between al Wasat and “Ahmad Mansour,” the operational name of the ”information officer” of al Qaeda. Mansour told the paper that membership in the organization grew after the invasion of Iraq and “whenever the arrogance of the disbeliever increases.” He also says that early on Osama bin Laden instructed members not to attack the state because Yemen’s “weapons were directed toward the communists.” He says the relationship with the authority became strained in 1994 after the government reneged on their agreement. The article goes on to say that mediations with al Qaeda usually take place between sheiks sent by the state and jihadists, but that results are usually not achieved due to a lack of authority.

He goes on to say that the killing of Fawaz al Rubai and Mohammad ad Dailami occurred with the help of “American experts”…duh. And he calls on Jihadists within Yemen to resolve the differences between them Khalid Abdul Nabi and Nader al Shadadi ( an account of the disagreement within the Abyan group can be found here).

He defended the groups recent attacks against foreign tourists and affirmed the groups ability to carry out more operations in the future. Although, he says the first enemy is America.

He said that Islah is a weak party that does not like jihad, he praised Zindani, Abdul Wahab ad Dailami, Mohammad (Abdul Wahab?) al Ansi, and Sadiq, and he confirmed what many have been saying, that the Yemeni government asked al Qaeda to fight against the al Houthis in the north.

Mansour believes that Yemen security apparatuses - political security and national security – are conflicted about how to deal with terrorism, especially al Qaeda, because, in the past the policy has been containment through creating relationships – but it has turned out that new cells formed “away from the eyes” of security forces and the previously known al Qaeda members. 

      

Heritage Foundation: Yemen Economy 52.8% Free

 

Business Freedom – 53.7%

Trade Freedom – 66.4%

Fiscal Freedom – 83.2%

Freedom from Government – 58.5%

Monetary Freedom – 62.9%

Investment Freedom – 50%

Financial Freedom – 30%

Property Rights – 30%

Freedom from Corruption – 26%

Labor Freedom – 67.7%

See the whole report: