[07/January/2010]

By: Mahmoud Assamiee

SANA'A, Jan. 07 (Saba)- The five German citizens and an English man, who were kidnapped June 2009, are still alive, Deputy Prime Minister for Security and Defense Affairs Rashad Al-Alimi, has said.

"We have confirmed information that the foreign kidnapped citizens are still alive. We have information they are in an area links three governorates, Jawf, Mareb and Sa'ada," said al-Alimi, in a press conference held here on Thursday over latest developments in the country.

Al-Alimi, who expressed regret for what has happened to these kidnapped foreignera while they have been providing human services to Yemenis, indicated there are information saying that these kidnapped people are "in Sa'ada and are used by Houthis to cure their injured militias in their war with the army. This affirms coordination between Houthis and Al Qaeda."

In the conference, which has been attended by journalists from across the world, the deputy prime minister announced Yemen's refusal to existence of any foreign forces on Yemeni lands, affirming that Yemen's cooperation with the United States and the international community is restricted on technical and material support as well as sharing intelligence information to fight terrorism.

He affirmed the country's determination to follow up operation of cracking down on Al Qaeda elements wherever they are and boosting security and military existence in any place thought to be a location to terrorist elements. Supporting local authority's apparatus and working with them to enlighten people citizens on dangers of existence of these elements are also highlighted.

He stressed that Yemen is strong enough to face any challenges facing the country and overcome all its problems. "Yemen has faced likes these problems before and now the country is stronger than when it was in the past." He hailed US and international support to Yemen for this regard.

Over information on Nigerian student Abdul-Mutaleb who is accused of trying to explode a US airliner, Al- Alimi highlighted three issues; the most important of them is that the explosives seized with Abdul-Mutalaleb were brought from outside Yemen, specifically from Nigeria.

Abdul-Mutaleb lived in Yemen from 2004 to 2005 for studying and that he attracted by Al Qaedah while he was living in England in the period of 2005-2009. He came to Yemen again in 2009 for higher study. "Dutch prosecutor affirmed Abdul-Mutaleb has carried the explosives from Nigeria not from Yemen, which means preparations for the operation made in his country," said Al-Alimi.

Regarding recent statement of British Prime Minister Gordon Brown on Yemen's ability on deterring terrorism and describing the country as a failing state, he said Brown did not mean the country is failed but said it is in its way to be a failed state. He appreciated efforts of the British government and of the US and Yemen's donor for their support to Yemen.

In respect to Brown's call to international conference to support Yemen, Al-Alimi affirmed Yemen's welcome to this call because this conference aims at supporting Yemen in field of combating terrorism and pushing the country's development and economy.

Over the total operations carried out by Al Qaeda in Yemen, he said the network has carried out 61 operations and killed a number of innocent people and that the security forces have been able to foil 12 attacks in different areas in the country. But he did not give exact number of Al- Qaeda elements in Yemen because of the lack of accurate statistics.

However, he indicated that the efforts have been exerted by the country has resulted in bringing hundreds of these elements to justice and other hundreds are servicing imprisonment verdicts, while tens are being interrogated by the prosecution to be brought before courts.

He clarified that the country only holds dialogue with those who are mislead young who have not been involved in carrying out attacks not with those commit crimes and have already carried out attacks. "The country has dialogued with 600 of the mislead people who have been brainwashed by Al Qaeda's thoughts and has succeeded to guide them to the right way and now are integrated with the people as good citizens."

Over the dangers of the southern movement and the Houthis, he said, Al- Qaeda is more dangerous because it threaten the whole world not only Yemen. While the Houthis are at their last breaths, situations in southern areas are stable with outlawed are brought into justice.

"No fear about the future of Yemen and all things are under control," he sated.

On a a question that US fighters are carrying out air raids in Yemeni territories against Al-Qaeda, the Deputy Prime Minster for Defense and Security Affairs refuted this and affirmed that Yemen get technical and intelligence support from the United States," US jets never exit in Yemen."

Over a failed plot targeted the Saudi Deputy Minster of Interior Mohammad bin Nayef and on Yemen's cooperation with Saudi Arabia in fighting terrorism, he said a Pakistani citizen and Saudi were involved in the failed operation and that there is strong cooperation between the two countries in this field.

Mahdi al-Bahri, Anwar Al-Bahri and Mutahar Assyahgi contributed in this report. 


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