US embassy cable - 03SANAA2763

UNCLAS SANAA 002763 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR NEA, NEA/ARP, NEA/PD, NEA/RA, DS/OP/NEA AND 
S/CT 
CENTCOM FOR POLAD 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: OIIP, KMDR, PHUM, PTER, KISL, YM, COUNTER TERRORISM 
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION ON AL-MOAYAD'S EXTRADITION FROM 
GERMANY TO THE UNITED STATES. 
 
NEA/PPD FOR MQUINN, JKINCANNON, TROBERTS 
 
 
1.   SUMMARY: The Extradition of Mohammed Al-Hasan al-Moayad 
and his aide Mohammed Zayed from Germany to the United 
States on November 17th to face charges of conspiring to 
provide material support to the al-Qaeda and Hamas terrorist 
groups have been mentioned in government, opposition and 
independent papers.  Most papers published factual coverage 
of the extradition.  Government papers including the al- 
Thawra official daily tracked government reactions to the 
extradition and ROYG efforts showing seriousness in dealing 
with the case.  A few papers carried commentary on the case. 
A well-known anti-U.S. weekly, al-Balagh, indicated in its 
editorial that the extradition will have a negative effect 
on Yemen's co-operation with the U.S.  Pro-Islamist 
newspapers such as Annas independent weekly carried no 
commentary on the extradition but urged the government to 
exert all possible efforts in support of al-Moayad before 
the U.S. courts. END SUMMARY. 
 
2. Without commenting on the extradition, "Al-Thawra" 
(November 18) reported that President Saleh instructed the 
government to double efforts and contacts with the U.S. 
authorities in Washington and the U.S. Embassy in Sana'a 
with regard to al-Moayad and his aide who were extradited 
from Germany to the U.S. November 17. 
 
3.  Al-Thawra (November 19) published reports tracking the 
government's reactions including Foreign Minister Dr. al- 
Qirbi's meeting with the U.S. Charge d'Affaires Alan 
Misenheimer in which Dr. al-Qirbi renewed his request to 
send al-Moayad back home and informed the U.S. Charge that 
it has not been proven that al-Moayad and his aide were 
involved in any illegal actions.  COMMENT: News reporting 
does not reflect the full scope of the Foreign Minister's 
comments at the meeting. END COMMENT. 
 
4. Anti-American weekly "Al-Balagh" (November 18) published 
an op-ed article probing what it described as "the secrets" 
behind the detention of al-Moayad outside Yemen and raising 
concerns over his trial in a U.S. court.  Al-Balagh said 
that "trying al-Moayad in Yemen would make Yemen's co- 
operation with the U.S. in counter-terrorism more acceptable 
to the people of Yemen."  The paper indicated that the 
repeated visits by FBI Director Robert Mueller to Yemen 
played a role in accelerating the extradition of al-Moayad 
to the U.S. 
 
5. "Al-Shura", weekly of the Popular Forces Union, (November 
16) published an op-ed article commenting on the Yemeni-U.S. 
counter-terrorism cooperation which al-Shura described as 
"deficient".  The paper indicated that "in spite of Yemen's 
unlimited co-operation with the U.S. in the fight against 
terrorism Washington insisted on the extradition of al- 
Moayad to America and disregarded Yemen's request to send 
him back home." 
MISENHEIMER