Possible ties between Islamic Jihad Organization and Israeli Intelligence discovered, says security

Investigations conducted by security forces have revealed that a recently apprehended terrorist cell has ties with Israeli intelligence organizations. The cell belongs to the Islamic Jihad Organization in Yemen, which in turn belongs to the larger al-Qaeda Organization, said a security source last Tuesday.

The security source, who prefers to remain anonymous, said that the terrorist cell is composed of six members and led by Emad Ali S’aeed al-Roni who is goes by the name Abu al-Ghaith al-Maqdad al-Yamani. The Islamic Jihad Organization has recently sent several threats to a number of foreign and Arab embassies in Yemen including those of Britain, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

Further investigations of the members of the terrorist cell and seized materials have yielded interesting discoveries. A computer seized from one of the suspects revealed correspondences between a cell member, Bassm Abdullah Fadhel al-Haidri, and a member of an Israeli intelligence organization. In his emails, al-Haidri requested support and funds from Israeli intelligence to carry out terrorist acts in Yemen, said the source, who added that the investigation is ongoing and when completed it will be referred to the judicial authority.

Sources within the judiciary have claimed that approximately 60 suspected al-Qaeda militants are to be referred to the Specialized Criminal Prosecution to be tried. Sources said that the files of suspects are to be submitted to the prosecution in approximately three weeks. The apprehended members of the terrorist group belong to three different cells, and were arrested in a recently launched manhunt in the Governorates of Sana’a, Aden, Abyan, Hadhramaut and Mareb. The suspects will be charged with affiliating with al-Qaeda, for the terrorist attacks on Sayoun last August, and for bombing oil pipelines in Mareb.
In a message sent last September, the Islamic Jihad Organization demanded the release of their detained members, threatening a series of attacks against western interests as well as the British and Saudi Embassies if their demands were not met.  

They have also threatened to assassinate prominent individuals living in Yemen. Islamic Jihad in Yemen has claimed responsibility for planning and executing the attack against the US embassy in Sana'a last September in which at least 19 people were killed and several others injured.  

The Yemeni government has claimed that this attack was in retaliation for the recent crackdown on terrorist groups in Yemen."The attack against the US embassy today comes as a reaction against current measures being taken by the government against the terrorists," said the Yemeni Foreign Minister in a meeting with European ambassadors shortly after the attack on the US Embassy.

Two days after the attack, 30 people suspected of being connected to al-Qaeda and the embassy attack in Sana’a were arrested by Yemeni authorities.

The attack, in which no Americans were harmed, came weeks after threats from armed groups to take revenge for the killing of Hamza al-Quaiti, a self-proclaimed al-Qaeda leader. al-Quaiti was killed with four other operatives in a large confrontation with Yemen security forces in Tareem, in the eastern Hadhramout region of the country on August 11th.

Related Content

•  Somali pirates free hijacked Yemeni cargo ship
•  Zandani declares solidarity ship to break Gaza blockade
•  Capital punishment expected for murderer of Sayoun judge
•  Yemeni child bride, winner of Glamour's woman of the year accuses her lawyer of corruption
•  Political rallies met by strong opposition - and strong apathy
•  Hamdan Released to Yemeni Authorities
•  Prime Minister launches Arab fisheries conference
•  Yemeni athletes win 47 medals at the Dubai Special Olympics
•  AL-Salem Jews transfer electoral home to Sana'a
•  Fears over electoral registration process increase due to disruptions by demonstrators