US embassy cable - 05SANAA1286

C O N F I D E N T I A L SANAA 001286 
 
SIPDIS 
 
NOFORN 
 
DS/DSS, DS/IP/NEA, DS/DSS/ITA, DS/ICI/PII, S/CT, NEA, NEA/ 
ARP, NEA/EX, NEA/P, CA, CENTCOM FOR POLAD 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/14/2015 
TAGS: AMGT, ASEC, PREL, PTER, EAC 
SUBJECT: SANAA EAC MEETING 05/14/2005 
 
Classified By: RSO Timothy Laas for reasons 1.4(b) and (d) 
 
1.  (C)  Post EAC convened on May 14 at 10:00 A.M.local time 
to assess the possibility of demonstrations or other actions 
within Yemen in response to recent local and international 
news coverage about alleged Koran desecration at Guantanamo. 
Key offices and personnel represented at the meeting 
included: AMB, DAT, FPD, MO, LEGATT, POLE, POLM, OMC, RSO, 
CONS, and PD. 
 
2.  (C)  RSO noted that, although there were no significant 
events over the weekend, students had planned on 11 May 2005 
a demonstration for this morning at Sana'a University. 
Police, already aware of the planned demonstration, were 
standing by at the university before potential demonstrators 
arrived and limited early opportunities for groups to 
assemble.  RSO noted as well that Sana'a University's campus 
is several miles from the Embassy, making any possible crowd 
movement to the Embassy both slow-moving and unlikely. 
Several embassy contacts have reported that the protest is 
not/not due to recent news coverage on alleged Koran 
desecration, but is rather resulting from local issues at the 
University, particularly a series of recent teacher strikes 
that have left the student body agitated. The fact that the 
attempted demonstration was planned prior to the initial 
break of the Guantanamo news story corroborates this 
assessment.  The US Embassy has not been the direct target of 
any protest or demonstration since March 2003. 
 
3.  (C)  Though the events at the University do not appear a 
reaction to the Koran desecration allegations, EAC members 
agreed that some form of response is still likely in Yemen, 
despite the comparative lack of significant coverage in the 
local media to date.  As such, Embassy personnel will 
continue to monitor closely the situation for any changes. 
Krajeski