US embassy cable - 04SANAA2559

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 SANAA 002559 
 
SIPDIS 
 
NOFORN 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR NEA, NEA/ARP, NEA/EX, S/CT, CA, DS/DSS, 
DS/IP/NEA, DS/DSS/ITA, DS/ICI/PII, CENTCOM FOR POLAD 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/02/2014 
TAGS: ASEC, AMGT, PREL, PTER, EAC 
SUBJECT: SANAA EAC MEETING - OCTOBER 2, 2004 
 
REF: A. SANAA 2539 
     B. SANAA 2475 
 
Classified By: RSO Tim Laas, for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). 
 
1.  (S/NF)  Begin summary: The Chief of Mission (COM) 
convened an EAC meeting on October 3, to assess recent threat 
information and discuss security-related issues followed by a 
review of the Emergency Action Plan.  EAC members concluded 
the meeting in agreement that no imminent threat was 
discernable.  Additionally, the COM called for a town meeting 
to review community security concerns and directed the RSO to 
raise awareness among Employees regarding the security 
environment following an increase in regional chatter 
indicating attack planning.  Also, on the agenda was 
potential fallout from fighting between Republic Of Yemen 
Government forces and a Shiite strongman in Sa'da, as well as 
the verdicts in the "Gang of Fifteen" and "USS Cole" trials 
in Sanaa.   Key offices and personnel represented at the 
meeting included: COM, DCM, POL/ECON, CONS, MO, PD, RSO, 
POL/MIL, SOC YEMEN, AND LEGAT and IMO.  End summary. 
 
2.    (C) The EAC began with a review of the overall threat 
environment noting the potential for serious security 
incidents following a series of major events in Yemen and the 
region to include the end of several weeks fighting between 
ROYG forces and a Shiite rebel Al-Huthi, who was killed in 
combat, as well as the handing down of severe sentences to 
USS Cole trial defendants.  Numerous events raise the 
spectrum of retribution by family or friends of victims and 
defendants although no imminent threats are now known. 
 
3.    (SBU)  The DCM pointed to media coverage of angry 
reactions to the Cole verdict by family members of the 
convicts and the EAC discussed increased chatter within the 
region that indicates the potential for a series of soft 
target attacks against westerners and local government 
officials cooperating with the United States Government in 
the war on terrorism.  The EAC noted already high and 
appropriate levels of security from RSO assets. 
 
4.    (SBU)  PER REFTEL, RSO advised the EAC of one incident, 
cable Sanaa 2539, whereby the Surveillance Detection Team 
identified a man filming the Hadah residential compound 
(where many official Americans live) on October 1.  No 
specific recommendations for improving security coverage 
resulted from the EAC.  EAC members agreed that Mission 
personnel should again be urged to vary their times and 
routes and avoid a predictable pattern in any other way and 
the COM directed the Consular officer to arrange a town 
meeting to review security with the community.  The town 
meeting is scheduled for October 10, 2004. 
 
5.    (SBU) The EAC discussed the recent degradation of 
Embassy perimeter security, reftel Sanaa 2475, resulting from 
ROYG,s unilateral removal of ram resistant barriers.  RSO 
advised EAC members that a diplomatic note went forward 
requesting ROYG to secure the now open perimeter with 
barriers.  The COM informed the EAC that he discussed the 
matter with the Minister of Interior during a state sponsored 
dinner on September 30th, receiving assurances that ROYG 
would provide a final solution soon regarding perimeter 
security.  EAC members discussed the possible impact that the 
loss of perimeter security might have on Embassy receptions 
held behind the Ambassador,s residence and agreed that the 
propriety of events at that location will depend on ROYG 
commitment to lock down the street with positive physical 
security measures to prevent the possible forcing of vehicle 
born improvised explosive devices VBIEDs.  RSO noted a recent 
DS assessment that the Embassy, EMR and MSG have excellent 
structural reinforcements but an outdoor reception close to 
the exterior wall might result in heavy casualties if a VBIED 
were placed against the wall during an event such as the 
Marine Ball. 
 
6.    (SBU)  The RSO noted DS funded physical security 
construction at the Yemen American Language Institute to 
install a public screening point where by the public could 
not force their way into YALI past unarmed Embassy guards. 
Unfortunately, Yemen city planning officials have threatened 
to arrest contract workers doing the upgrade despite MOI,s 
acceptance of the work.  RSO noted a Thursday, September 30, 
incident whereby a student failed the exams and returned to 
the school with angry and armed family members.  MOI 
personnel arrested the aggressive family members and secured 
the institute with additional armed guards.  RSO is working 
with the MOI to resolve the standoff on the needed security 
upgrade in the school. 
 
7.    (SBU)  EAC members discussed the recent alleged 
Al-Qaida tapes released by Al-Jazeera and the DCM requested 
actual text of the statement to review for Yemen specific 
references.  RSO provided the DCM a Reuter's report that read 
an audio tape attributed to Ayman al-Zawahiri, al-Qa'eda's 
2nd in command, called on Muslims to organize resistance 
against "crusader America" and its allies throughout the 
world.  "We should not wait until U.S., British, French, 
Jewish, South Korean, Hungarian or Polish forces enter Egypt, 
the Arabian Peninsula, Yemen and Algeria before we resist," 
said the tape. 
 
8.    (SBU) At the conclusion of the EAC, the DCM led a 
section by section review of the Emergency Action Plan (EAP) 
canvassing the EAC for Emergency Action Committee input.  EAC 
members made numerous recommendations for improvements and 
reviewed current "trip wires".  The DCM directed EAC members 
to complete their review and EAP updates within 48 hours. 
KRAJESKI