A group calling itself the 'Al-Qaeda branch in Yemenâ claimed on Monday its responsibility for the ambush set for the governor of Shabwa, who was injured and his brother, who was killed in the incident on December, 4. In a press statement sent to al-Wahdawi.net last Monday, al-Tawhid brigade, a part of Qaedat al-Jihad in Yemen claimed responsibility for ambushing the governor Ali Ahmad al-Rassas, leading to the killing of his brother, who is also the chief of intelligence in the governorate of Ibb.
| The trouble with Yemen is that it's so hard to tell the difference between al-Qaeda and the local bandidos. Most of the time, they're the same people... |
The statement said that the incident came as a result of the governmentâs âviolation of its agreementâ with the al-Jihad fraction of al-Qaeda as well as to retaliate for the attack that targeted al-Muatazbellah, head of al-Qaeda in Yemen, two days before Ramdhan in al-Jawf province. It also pointed out that security forces failed to arrest Abdullah al-Karaam last Sunday in Haddah. Al-Qaraam, who is, according to the statement, the main assistant of Abu Assem al-Ahdal who was arrested last month and is believed to be the mastermind of the terrorist attack against the USS Cole in Aden in 2000. The statement warned that any mistreatment of al-Ahdal will invite grave sequences. The group also warned against any acts by the government that could cause harm to the family of the wife of Osama bin Laden, Amal al-Saddah.
| Note that they're treating with the government as an equivalent power. And note that the gummint had an "agreement" with them... |
It also called upon the Yemeni government to release al-Qaeda detainees. âThe arrest campaigns by Yemeni governmentâs authorities and its attempts to dry up financial resources of al-Mujahedeen will undermine the spirits of Special Security forces, yet will not affect the people who made a great slap to the big guys of the Yemeni intelligence in al-Baidha governorate,â the statement said. It stressed that âal-Mujahedeenâ are committed to carry out more attacks till the government releases all detainees and stops harassing their families.
| The gummint sprung 92 bad guys a month ago, I'd guess as a result of that "agreement" with the Bad Guys. It doesn't look like they got their money's worth... |
It confirmed that there were negotiations conducted between al-Qaeda and the government and that there were no repentant people except Khalid Abdul nabi, the leader of the Aden-Abyan Islamic Army who surrendered himself and pronounced his desire to give up his extremist ideas, according to official sources.
| Thought the 92 bad guys were "repentent"? |
The statement pledged to avenge for the killing Abu al-Harithi who was murdered by a US drone in November last year. âWe have moved from the preparation phase to actual implementation and we will shake the ground beneath the feet of the treacherous and American people,â it concluded. |