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

281208Z Dec 05

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 SANAA 003600 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR NEA, NEA/ARP, NEA/PD, NEA/RA, 
DS/OP/NEA AND S/CT 
CENTCOM FOR POLAD 
NEA/PPD FOR AFERNANDEZ 
THE WHITE HOUSE FOR NSC 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KDEM KMPI PGOV PHUM PREL YM
SUBJECT:  MEDIA REACTION -- VIOLENCE IN SAADA, 
ASSASSINATION SUSPECTS ON TRIAL, ETC. 
 
REFTEL A: SANAA 3572 
REFTEL B: SANAA 3548 
REFTEL C: SANAA 3534 
REFTEL D: SANAA 3532 
 
Following paragraphs cover December 15-27: 
 
¶1. AL-HOUTHI: The eruption of new violence in the 
Sa'ada region has been a primary topic of press 
coverage in recent weeks.  After two weeks of 
relative quiet, RayNews.net (website of liberal 
opposition Rabita Party) reported on December 21 
that armed clashes once again broke out between 
government and Al-Houthi forces.  On December 24, 
independent daily Al-Ayyam reported that clashes 
erupted at Sa'ada's central prison between guards 
and inmates (many detained during previous Al- 
Houthi uprisings) protesting their detention 
conditions.  On December 26, Zaidi (Shi'a) 
opposition weekly Al-Shura reported that seven 
inmates were killed in the confrontations with the 
prison guards, and another fifty injured.  Also on 
December 26, Al-Ayyam and Al-Shura reported on 
renewed clashes, particularly in the Bani Moa'dad 
area of Sa'ada, including an Al-Houthi ambush of a 
security patrol that left four troops injured.  On 
December 27, after stray fire killed two civilian 
women (including, according to NewsYemen.net, the 
wife of the Mufti of Sa'ada), Al-Sahwa reported 
that Sa'ada area sheikhs and government officials 
convened a meeting to discuss how best to suppress 
the renewed violence. 
 
¶2. ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT TRIAL: Government, 
opposition and independent outlets all have given 
considerable coverage to the trial of two men 
accused of attempting to assassinate Ambassador 
Krajeski one year ago.  On December 19, official 
government daily Al-Thawra, independent daily Al- 
Ayyam, and opposition Islah Party weekly Al-Sahwa 
all reported that one of the defendants admitted 
at trial to possessing a rifle and two hand 
grenades at the time of the attack.  On December 
26, Al-Sahwa described angry exchanges between the 
two defense lawyers when counsel for one defendant 
moved for dismissal of the charges by reason of 
mental defect and charged the other defendant with 
exploiting his mental state.  [Note: Media outlets 
consistently have mischaracterized the 
assassination attempt as targeting former 
Ambassador Hull.  End note.] 
 
¶3. PRESS FREEDOM: Following on a new round of 
press harassment incidents (covered in reftel B 
and most recently including telephone threats by a 
government official to the managing editor of 
weekly newspaper Annas, reported on December 26 by 
Al-Sahwa and NewsYemen.net), the Yemeni 
Journalists' Syndicate resoundingly has rejected 
the draft press law proposed by the government. 
On December 23, NewsYemen.net reported that the 
YJS rejection of the draft law was unanimous.  The 
Yemen Observer followed on December 26 with a 
report quoting the YJS as saying that if enacted, 
the law would restrict press freedom.  Also on 
December 26, RayNews.net reported further that 
journalists of the YJS have demanded an outright 
abolition of the Information Ministry. 
 
¶4. WAPO ARTICLES: Several local outlets gave 
prominent coverage to the recent series on Yemen 
published in the Washington Post by reporter David 
Finkel.  Among these, Al-Wasat published a large- 
point headline on December 21 quoting President 
Saleh that "all Americans are liars," as Finkel 
reported Saleh saying to a group of tribal 
sheikhs. 
 
¶5. SOMALI PROTESTS: After two months of protest by 
a large group of Somalis congregating outside the 
UNHCR office in Sanaa, RayNews.net reported on 
December 18 that two Somalis were killed and 
several others injured when people moved in to 
break up the protest.  Other media sources 
reported up to eight Somali protestors and four 
police officers injured during the scuffle.  On 
December 21, post issued a press release denying a 
rumor among the Somali protestors that the US 
intended to resettle 70,000 Somali refugees in the 
US.  NewsYemen, Al-Sahwa, and Al-Shura all 
published details of the press release. 
 
¶6. AUSTRIAN HOSTAGES: 26 September, NewsYemen.net, 
and Al-Sahwa gave prominent coverage to the 
kidnapping and quick release of two Austrian 
tourists on December 23-24.  The tourists 
reportedly were taken hostages by Ma'rib area 
tribesmen demanding the release of a kinsman in 
government detention, but were released unharmed 
and unconditionally after negotiations conducted 
by area tribal sheikhs. 
 
¶7. JOINT MEETING PARTY INITIATIVE: Government 
attacks continue unabated against the recent JMP 
reform initiative.  Al-Sahwa reported on December 
26 that Shura Council Chairman Abdul Aziz Abdul 
Ghani blasted the initiative in an interview with 
Egyptian daily Al-Ahram as an attempt to subvert 
the government's own reform process. 
 
¶8. GPC CONFERENCE: Events surrounding the General 
People's Congress seventh party conference have 
been described in detail in reftels A-D, as has 
the press placement of CDA's interview with Al- 
Ayyam.  Opposition media outlets have criticized 
sharply events at the GPC conference.  On December 
17, RayNews.net spotlighted President Saleh's call 
for the opposition Joint Meeting Party to take its 
reform initiative directly to the public, noting 
the tacit implication that the GPC will not engage 
in dialogue with the JMP over its proposals.  Also 
on December 17, NewsYemen.net noted that Saleh 
charged those who accuse his government of 
corruption of "being themselves corrupt."  On 
December 18, Al-Wahdawi (affiliated with the 
opposition Nasserite Party) described GPC 
delegates storming out of the conference in 
protest over the lack of internal party democracy, 
specifically in the appointment of Prime Minister 
Abdulqader Bajammal as GPC Secretary General. 
 
KRAJESKI