By Thomas Murphy
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East
SANA’A, Yemen – On Wednesday, Yemen authorities claimed they had foiled multiple al-Queda terrorist plots aimed at blowing up oil pipelines, seizing oil and gas export facilities, and taking over two of the country’s main ports.
Rajeh Badi, a press adviser to Yemeni Prime Minister Mohammed Salem Basindwa, said, “The plot aimed to seize the al-Dabbah oil export terminal in Hadramout [province] and the Belhaf gas export facility, as well as the city of Mukalla,” referring to the Hadramout provincial capital.
Badi discussed specifics of the plan, stating that dozens of al-Qaeda members planned to dress in Yemeni army uniforms and seize the facilities on the twenty-seventh night of Ramadan, which was last Sunday.
Yemeni security forces have increased their presence in the country to protect likely terrorist targets. Hundreds of armored vehicles have been positioned around the capital city of Sana’a with tanks and troops surrounding foreign missions, government buildings, and the airport.
Since reports of the foiled terror-plots surfaced, U.S. drones have killed eight suspected militants over the past two days. Six were killed by a drone strike in the country’s southern province of Shabwa and two more in an attack in the eastern province of Hadramout. At least twenty-five suspected militants have been killed by U.S. drone attacks since July 28, but only one of the dead has been confirmed to be on Yemen’s twenty-five most-wanted terrorist list.
Despite the alleged foiled terror-plots, U.S. officials reiterated broad warnings of an increased risk of terrorist attacks in Yemen and the surrounding area. Yemen’s state news agency later cited government security officials that downplayed the alleged foiled plot and denied there had been a threat against oil facilities.
Recently, there have been complaints by U.S. officials that the Yemeni government is not doing enough to disrupt and eradicate Al-Queda in the Arabian Peninsula, otherwise known as AQAP. AQAP, believed to be behind the current terror warnings across the area, is considered to be one the most aggressive and well-organized al-Queda subdivisions.
For further information, please see:
Reuters – Drone strikes kill eight suspected militants in Yemen – 8 August 2013
Al Jazeera – Yemen: Plot to seize oil facilities foiled – 7 August 2013
BBC – Yemeni authorities ‘foil al-Queda plot to seize ports’ – 7 August 2013
New York Times – Yemen, on Alert for Terrorism, Says It Foiled a Queda Plot – 7 August 2013
Wall Street Journal – Yemen Steps Back From Terror-Plot Claims, Highlighting U.S.’s Challenge – 7 August 2013
