This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 SANAA 002552 
 
SIPDIS 
 
NOFORN 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/22/2013 
TAGS: PTER ASEC PREL PGOV YM COUNTER TERRORISM
SUBJECT: ROYG UPDATE ON DISRUPTION OF AL-QAIDA CELL 
 
REF: A. SANAA 2434 
     ¶B. SANAA 2410 
     ¶C. SANAA 2440 
 
Classified By: Ambassador Edmund J. Hull for Reasons 1.5 (b,d) 
 
 ¶1. (C) Summary:  On 10/22 Foreign Minister Qirbi convened a 
joint meeting with Interior Minister Alimi with key Western 
Embassies to provide an update on the September disruption of 
an al-Qaida cell (refs).  Alimi provided further information 
on ROYG's investigation into the cell's activities and 
members, particularly information on several recent arrests 
in Yemen and Saudi Arabia, including specific names.  He 
asserted that the "danger was over" for Western targets in 
Yemen because MOI believed that all cell members inside Yemen 
had been captured.  Close cooperation between Yemen and Saudi 
Arabia appears to have broken this particular cell. 
Attendees at the briefing included Pol/Econ Chief and Deputy 
(Ambassador was on in-country travel, DCM was out of 
country), the ambassadors of France, Germany, Italy and the 
Netherlands and the UK deputy head of mission.  Despite the 
success of this investigation, Post's security practices will 
remain tight. End Summary. 
 
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ROYG Message: "All the Members" Inside Yemen Arrested; 
"Danger is Over" 
--------------------------------------------- -------- 
 
¶2. (C) Interior Minister Alimi said it was "very important" 
to provide an update after the last meeting on 9/28 (ref c). 
He noted the 9/28 meeting was held to provide the Embassies a 
warning because of ROYG concern that, despite the capture of 
the main leader of the al-Qaida cell, they had not reached 
all members of the terror cell.  Alimi said he wanted to 
provide a "clear picture" of ROYG actions to date, the 
results of the Yemen-Saudi investigation and assurances of 
increased safety to all Embassies that were targets.  He 
noted the MOI was able to arrest "all the members" of the 
cell inside Yemen. 
 
¶3. (C) After the French Ambassador asked for clarification on 
the ROYG's message, Alimi said the official message was that 
Yemen is "safer now" and that the "danger is over."  In 
response to further questioning by the Dutch Ambassador on 
previous comments by the ROYG that the arrests could be the 
"tip of the iceberg," Alimi said that he judges things 
according to reality and what he can see, but admitted that 
he cannot really know about things he has not yet seen.  He 
invited the French Ambassador to re-open the French Cultural 
Institute, which was closed recently because of security 
concerns, and urged all attendees to send the message back to 
their governments that Yemen was safe. 
 
--------------------------------------------- -- 
Cell Information:  New Names, Basoura Captured, 
Financier Still At-Large in Saudi Arabia 
--------------------------------------------- -- 
 
¶4. (C) Dr. Alimi described the cell as having three groups. 
The first was headed by the main leader, 'Amr Abdul Rahman 
al-Sharif, who remains in custody.  The second was led by a 
financial coordinator named Abdul Rahman Basoura (ref c), who 
went to Saudi Arabia to collect funds to carry out the 
planned attacks.  The Saudis recently handed Basoura over to 
the ROYG authorities after they arrested him as part of a 
joint investigation.  He is currently in "security" (note: 
presumably the Political Security Organization (PSO).  End 
Note) custody.  The third group that advised on religious 
matters was led by a Syrian named Amr Majid al-Abiyad.  Alimi 
said the KSA told the ROYG that they have arrested him and 
that he "admitted to transfering money to the cell to conduct 
terrorist acts." 
 
¶5. (C) Dr. Alimi said that MOI believes it has been able to 
arrest all members of the cell present in Yemen in 
cooperation with Saudi Arabia, although he remains worried 
about the "re-birth of other cells."  He also mentioned that 
the last five members of the cell arrested in Yemen are still 
under investigation.  This last group was arrested with 
documents proving that money had been transferred from Saudi 
Arabia.  The name found on the official money transfer 
documents (Ahmed Saad al-Ghamdi) was provided to KSA 
authorities for follow-up, and Alimi noted that unless 
al-Ghamdi used false identification, he was confident the 
name was correct and accurate. 
 
¶6. (C) When asked about the total number arrested in Yemen 
and Saudi Arabia, Alimi said that 17 persons were arrested in 
Yemen.  In Saudi Arabia, he mentioned Basoura and al-Abiyad 
by name and said that the ROYG had provided "code names" to 
the Saudi authorities and had been informed that the Saudis 
had made the arrests.  Dr. Alimi again characterized the 
Yemen-Saudi cooperation as "excellent." 
 
--------------------------------------------- ------ 
FM Qirbi -- MOI Successful, 
More Assistance Requested, and Media Leaks Damaging 
--------------------------------------------- ------ 
 
¶7. (C) Foreign Minister Qirbi noted the Ministry of Interior 
has done a "very good job" in the last year and requested 
increased support so MOI "could do even better."  He also 
cautioned about leaks to the media, saying that they have 
created a lot of anxiety that damaged the ROYG's move towards 
a more normal security situation.  He specifically mentioned 
travel advisories and their negative impact on tourism, and 
said he did not want the price of transparency to be inflated 
security concerns that continue to damage Yemen's economy. 
 
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Comment 
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¶8. (S/NF) Begin Comment:  The briefing was clearly aimed to 
provide assurances of safety.  While the success of the 
continued investigation is impressive, Post will maintain its 
current vigilant security practices.  Post does not deem that 
the new information requires a warden message.  The evidence 
of a productive and cooperative Yemen-Saudi investigation is 
good news for regional security and efforts in other 
counter-terrorism areas such as combatting weapons smuggling. 
 While the MOI repeated that they had "no objection" to 
sharing documents and evidence through "coordinating 
agencies" (Note: presumably the ORCA and PSO) and offered to 
inform "security" to share information, ORCA reports that 
they have only received a brief PSO investigative report and 
no access to any raw evidence.  There is an apparent 
disconnect between the MOI and PSO on willingness to share 
information.  End Comment. 
HULL