[12/July/2010]

Translated into English by: Hayel Fare'

SANA'A , July 12 (Saba)- Interior Minister Mutaher al-Masri confirmed that the security campaign against al-Qaeda is continuing in Mareb province after eliminating them, stressing that Yemen will never be a safe haven for al-Qaeda elements.

In an interview with UAE Al Bayan newspaper, al-Masri said that al-Qaeda stands behind the assassination of Mareb Local Council Secretary General Jaber al-Shabwani as they previously targeted the District Manager "Madgal Mohamed Rabaish Bin Ka'alan".

Concerning the war on al-Qaeda, al-Masri said that the security forces strictly deal with this organization as some members have been killed and other detained as well as the security forces will be followed the remaining elements.

Here is the complete interview

Q: Can you tell us the reasons that made the situation escalate in Mareb province as they [al-Qaeda] previously have been there for years?

A: After al-Shabwani's accident plotted by the terrorists in Wadi Abidah and after killing the colonel Mohammed al-Shayef, the brigadier general of 315 squad, it must be dealt with the first situation in which al-Qaeda misleads the citizens.

In fact, the case was solved and electricity towers were repaired as well as gas pipeline are secured. An agreement was made between Sheikhs, dignitaries and citizens of Wadi Abidah in order to extradite the outlaws or leave them. Actually, we found a great cooperation among citizen.

The security authorities must deal with the outlaws elements in case of targeting al-Shayef. Indeed, it was dealt with them and there were wanted elements who wanted to surrender themselves to local authority. So security measures must continue to hunt down the outlaws there.

Q: Does the campaign achieve its goals as we have known that the involved are stilling free?

A: Yes, it has succeeded the main target on how containing aftermaths of al-Shabwani's accident, repapering what have been damaged of public facilities, spreading an awareness throughout the regions in order to stand a one unit to fight saboteurs. The campaign also succeeded in dealing with some targets, therefore, the security forces is still ongoing to hunt down the wanted people and they will not complete its mission till it achieve completely its goals.

Q: Conducting investigations of al-Shabwani's accident, did it affirm that the Secretary General of Local Council in Mareb was brought gradually by al-Qaeda especially when President Ali Abdullah Saleh had said that there was treason among Abidah tribe, therefore the accident took place.

A: The investigation is continuing and it was proved that al-Shabwani brought gradually by al-Qaeda, as they emphasized in their statement that al-Shabwani was killed by the air strike as the killing of the security district's manager Madgal Mohammed Rubaish, after completing the investigation all details will be cleared.

Media Exaggeration

Q: With reference to the war on al-Qaeda, there are continuously talking in western media outlets concerning that Yemen is turning to a destination for extremists, in other words, the fact which non Yemeni citizens are found, how do you see it?

A: Everyone knows that thousands of youth how were sent to Afghanistan from different nationalities and were supported by western governments led by the United States. When these youth established al-Qaeda at the end of the cold war, they returned in large numbers to their countries like Yemen. The Yemeni government had dealt with them firmly. Some of them were killed, others detained, and other members would be chased.

The measures that the security forces have taken were successful and distinguished more than any other country of the region .But a huge exaggeration in the media outlets on al-Qaeda force in Yemen is a gross exaggeration. This does not mean that the Yemeni government is lessening the danger of al-Qaeda, but the exaggeration is definitely found. Yemen will never be a safe haven for al-Qaeda elements.

Q: Do you expect that the security forces will arrest Anwar al-Awlaki or he will be hunted by a drone, like what happened to the previous ones?

A: Anwar al-Awlaki is security wanted and we will crack down on him until we arrest him as well as he has a chance to surrender himself.

The Peaceful Direction

Q: Let us move to the situation in Saada and Harf Sufyan, it is noticeably that there is a very slow on the implementation of ceasefire, there are a refreshing battle between tribesmen who are supported by the government during the war and Houthi rebels , do you expect the battle will renew?

A: Houthi rebels have accepted the terms of the ceasefire; therefore, they must implement those conditions. The government pushes towards peace and act to reconstruction, the Houthi rebels must not waste this opportunity. I cannot confirm that the government will remain with the first choice only.

Q: But Houthis accuse the government to push tribesmen to fight them and that the government seems far away from the subject and in fact it [the government] pushes towards the situation there unsettled?

A: This is untrue, we patiently deal towards the continuing complaints from citizens there because of attacks by rebels. On the contrary citizens accuse the government of being negligent in dealing with the revenge attacks by rebels.

Outlaws

Q: In comparing with the situation in the south, we notice that the situation in Lahj and Dhale' become more tensional unlike in eastern and southern provinces, what do say about this?

A: Some secessionist elements in some districts of Lahj and Dhale' governorates do not represent sons of these governorates who are known by their defensive attitudes on the 26th of September, 14th of October, and 2nd of May. The secessionists are known persons; they are receiving cost of their criminal acts, practicing rubbery, killing, and illegal acts.

A number of those killers and bandits have been arrested; those make great damages on conservative's fame. There is something to be done in order to deal with the outlaws, especially from the sons of Lahj and Dale's provinces who are terrified from these acts of the secessionists.


But the latest actions in Dale' as the security forces are being accused that it bombs Neighborhoods randomly, is this true?

This is an untrue, those are practicing large criminal acts starting from banditry and finishing of killing citizens as well as attacking the public interest and private interests.

The outlaws are still practicing violence, spreading hatreds among citizens. The security apparatuses and forces had dealt with them with a great responsibility and exceeding many actions. The local authority is still dealing with them patiently.



Saba