SANA’A, Jan. 11 (Saba)- Foreign Minister Abu- Bakr al-Qirbi has denied reports about agreement between Sana’a and Washington on security coordination allowing the latest to wage missile attacks and air raids against Al-Qaeda nest in Yemen.
Al-Qirbi said in an interview with Kuwait based Al Syasiah newspaper that Yemen is enforcing anti- terror forces to be able to deter any attack targets its interests or Arab and foreign interests by Al-Qeda, affirming ” Yemen needs international support to improve its capabilities in field of training, communication and air and sea transport.”
He reveals that existence of Al-Qaeda affiliated Omer al-Farooq Abdul-Muttaleb, Nigerian national, suggests Al-Qaeda in Yemen is a part of the international big system and affirms necessity to enhancing and coordinating efforts between the region and the world to face terrorist dangers.
He made it clear that the recent attacks against Al-Qaeda has come after intelligence efforts traced movements of Al-Qaeda elements since long time. They were scheduled earlier but delayed as the government wanted accurate information on the terrorists, especially the most dangerous ones. This approves the government’s seriousness to face them after the dialogue with them and the rehabilitation programs have failed.
He noted that intelligence efforts provided more information to security forces and unearthed dangerous plots by Al-Qaeda targeting Yemeni and foreign interests and economic facilities, as well as assassinating security and military officials.
Over Yemen’s limited capabilities, the foreign minister said the country is planning to increase its anti- terror units and these unites need support in field of training and equipments and this kind of support is what Yemen wants. Existing Al-Qaeda in this form needs joint efforts to face it and that Yemen has been calling for years for security and intelligence cooperation with Arab and foreign countries for facing this danger threatening all countries.
Over active or inactive cooperation between Yemen and Arab countries, Minister al-Qribi said “I believe Arab countries need to rethink on the existing cooperation and on the efforts exerted to fight terrorism, especially in field of rehabilitation programs to make these terrorists good citizens.
Regarding that the air raids which said killed and injured civilians, he said the targeted area was not in a village as some media outlets reported but training camps to Al-Qaeda and the problem is that some Al-Qaeda’s elements brought their families with them to the camp which led to killing and injuring a number of them. We in the government consider them victims of terrorist elements who forced them to be with them and put them in danger given that they already knew they are pursued.
On government measures to amend these people, he affirmed the government had formed fact finding committee to investigate the issue. The committee is now conducting its duty and will introduce its report soon. On the basis of the report’s results, those who have been affected in the attacks will be compensated.
On explanation of the sudden raise of new Al-Qaeda’s cells after the air strike in Abyan governorate, the minister said we have to indicate first that media outlets published a gathering to tribes in the governorate in different way. The televised scenes show that all those in the gathering are from Al-Qaeda while the reality was that these people came to condole Al-Bakazem tribe and Al-Qaeda elements indulged in them. Mohammad Omeir, an Al Qaeda leader, has been shown with a number of his followers threatening to revenge.
Regarding security forces’ attack against Al-Qaeda’s nest in Bajel district, Hodeida governorate, he said carrying out this attack against Al-Qaeda elements in remote area in the governorate in this level sends a message to Al-Qaeda’s cells that Yemen will not be a safe haven to terrorist fugitives as it will not be a nest to terrorist elements.
I believe this attack has presented strong proof on the security forces’ readiness to hit with iron fit everyone thinks to harm Yemen’s security. They have to understand that security forces will hit them in every place and at any time. This attack also is another message to those who try to hide terrorists to be dealt as one of them.
In respect to Al-Qaeda’s threatening to carry out revenge operations, the Minister of Foreign Affairs Abu Bakr al-Qirbi said Al-Qaeda will try to affirm its existence in Yemen but security forces understand this danger and are cautious via coordination with their partners in fighting terrorism to chare information to foil any terrorist plot.
Over reports that many of Al-Qaeda elements, among them leaders, have escaped the recent attacks and that may pose continuous threat, he said no doubt that they pose continuous threat but the government will continue tracking them and at the same the door remains open to any one wants to return to the right direction and stand against terrorism.
