US embassy cable - 05SANAA2115

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 SANAA 002115 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, YM, PTERM 
SUBJECT: YEMENIS REACT TO MOAYAD SENTENCING 
 
REF: SANAA 2053 
 
1. (SBU) Summary. The July 28 sentencing of Shiekh Mohammed 
Ali Hassn al-Moayad has sparked heated reaction from the 
ROYG, the opposition Islah party and, according to the print 
media, the public.  On the streets, however, there were no 
demonstrations and interlocutors state that, contrary to the 
reports, the general public is not overly concerned with the 
case. End Summary. 
 
2. (SBU) On July 28, a Brooklyn Federal Court Judge sentenced 
Shiekh Mohammed Ali Hassn al-Moayad to 75 years imprisonment 
for conspiracy to provide material support to the Hammas 
terrorist organization. In discussions with poloff before and 
after the case, journalists, civil society activists and 
attorneys overwhelmingly rejected the case's outcome. 
Instead, they said that Moayad is a "pious" and "simple" man 
who was just boasting to raise money for his charities. 
Throughout Sanaa, Moayad is known as the Imam who provided 
daily free bread for the poor, ran a local orphanage and 
supported a religious school. 
 
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The ROYG 
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3. (SBU) In an interview carried on Al-Jazeera's web site on 
July 30, FM Abu Bakr al-Qirbi condemned Moayad's sentencing, 
billing it as "extremely unfair" and saying that Moayad's 
arrest and extradition contradict International Law.  In his 
own interview carried by the official government newspaper 
"Al-Thawra" on July 30, DFM Mustapha Noman said that the ROYG 
would continue to work for Moayad's release.  The 
quasi-governmental group, the Yemeni Women's Union (YWU), 
also protested the case on July 26, two days before the 
sentencing, by presenting a letter to CDA that was signed by 
several leading political and non-governmental figures. 
(Reftel). 
 
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In the Press 
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4. (SBU) Many Yemeni newspapers covered the sentencing 
without editorials, although their coverage conveyed only 
negative public reactions.  The harshest condemnations came 
from the Islah party internet news service, Al-Sahwa.net, 
which on July 30 issued a party statement condemning the 
sentence.  The statement urged Saleh to intervene, charging 
that the case was based on false accusations that, even had 
they been committed, were not illegal according to Yemeni 
law.  Sahwa also quoted Moayad's defense attorney, Khalid 
al-Anisi, who warned that the sentence caused "widespread 
anger" throughout the country and will "widen the gap" 
between Arabs and the U.S. 
 
5. (SBU) Moayad's son issued a similar statement to the 
independent Aden-based "Al-Ayam" newspaper on July 30, saying 
that support for Palestinians is not a crime in Yemen or 
"millions of Yemenis would be sent to prison."  Both "26 
September," the official newspaper of the armed forces, and 
"Akhbar al-Yawm," affiliated with the notoriously 
anti-American newspaper "Al-Shumuu," reported that a 
coalition of civil society and political organizations 
planned to meet with President Saleh to urge him to work for 
Moayad's release. 
 
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On the Streets 
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6. (SBU) The mood in the streets was more indifferent than 
newspapers indicated.  Sami Ghalib, Editor in Chief of the 
independent "Al-Nidaa," commented that people were not 
concerned about the case because other national issues, 
particularly the recent lifting of oil and gas subsidies, 
overshadowed the trial.  Journalist and intellectual Nabil 
al-Sufi confirmed the absence of a public reaction but warned 
that the tables could turn if Moayad were to die in prison. 
 
7. (SBU) On Saturday, July 29, reports circulated (partly 
propagated by Sahwa) that Friday mosque sermons (carried over 
loudspeakers throughout Sanaa) condemned the sentence calling 
it part of the USG's "War on Islam."  Embassy staff who 
attended Friday mosque services did not hear such references. 
 
8. (SBU) Comment: Preoccupied with the recent riots and price 
hikes, it is unlikely that the Yemeni population will do 
anything beyond condemning the sentence in the press. 
Recognizing this, Islah, Moayad's political party and the 
most likely organizer of any demonstration, also seems 
reluctant to take the issue to the streets.  Qirbi's 
statements and the tone in official papers, demonstrating 
ROYG views similar to the opposition, may have sufficiently 
mollified the public. End comment. 
Krajeski