US embassy cable - 05SANAA2897

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 SANAA 002897 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR R, P, AND NEA/ARPI 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/27/2015 
TAGS: PTER, PREL, KDEM, KPAO, EAID, PHUM, KMPI, YM, DOMESTIC POLITICS, COUNTER TERRORISM 
SUBJECT: YEMEN: COMBATING EXTREMISM 
 
REF: STATE 159129 
 
Classified By: Ambassador Thomas C. Krajeski for reasons 1.4 b and d. 
 
1.  (U) Summary:  The Government of the Republic of Yemen 
(ROYG) considers extremism a serious threat to the country's 
security and stability.  Security and intelligence agencies 
routinely monitor mosques and religious institutions for 
extremist views.  The ROYG regularly closes unlicensed 
religious schools that teach radical Islam and advocate 
violence, and deports foreign students from those 
institutions.  The government also supports dialogue between 
moderate religious leaders and members of extremist groups in 
an attempt to convince them to abandon their violent views 
and respect Yemeni law. 
 
2.  (U) Lack of government control and services outside major 
cities, combined with high levels of poverty, leaves the 
population susceptible to extremist ideology.  USG programs 
focus on increasing economic opportunities for the poor, 
supporting democratic development, and improving basic 
education for women and girls.  Post leverages assistance 
from a wide variety of sources, including the Middle East 
Partnership Initiative (MEPI), Public Diplomacy (PD), USAID, 
Department of Agriculture, and Department of Defense programs 
to combat extremism and encourage tolerance.  End Summary. 
 
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Nature of Extremism 
------------------- 
 
3.  (C) No central authority, domestic or foreign, has ever 
claimed complete control over what is now modern day Yemen. 
As a result, a strong sense of independence permeates 
throughout many rural areas, and tribes chafe at threats to 
their autonomy from President Saleh and the central 
government.  The absence of government authority in some 
remote tribal areas created a permissive environment for 
terrorists and extremist groups, including Al-Qaeda, to 
operate and recruit followers.  Some of the government's own 
actions also inadvertently encouraged extremism.  During the 
1994 Civil War, for example, many returning "Afghan-Arabs" 
fought alongside northern troops against southern forces. 
Preoccupied with quelling southern secessionism, the 
government realized too late that the "Afghan-Arabs," while 
valuable fighters, also presented a direct threat to security 
and stability.  Currently, Yemenis returning from Iraq with 
training in counter-insurgency methods pose a similar 
problem, which the ROYG has yet to effectively address. 
 
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Targeting Extremist Individuals 
------------------------------- 
 
4.  (U)  Following the USS Cole and September 11 attacks, the 
ROYG began addressing the extremist threat more seriously and 
cooperating with the USG to target Al-Qaeda and other 
extremists elements.  Authorities continue to investigate, 
detain, and prosecute individuals involved in planning 
attacks against the government and western targets. 
 
5.  (U) For detainees not directly implicated in planning or 
carrying out attacks, the government-sponsored Theological 
Dialogue Committee, under the leadership of Judge Hamood 
Al-Hittar, attempted to persuade those individuals associated 
with terrorist or insurgent activity to renounce their 
extremist views.  Before being released, detainees promise to 
uphold the Yemeni constitution and laws and respect the 
rights of non-Muslims.  According to the Ministry of the 
Interior, the Political Security Organization also screens 
detainees before release to determine if they remain a 
threat.  (Comment: Judge Al-Hittar is a well-respected 
religious leader and post nominated him to participate in the 
2006 International Visitor Program "Promoting Interfaith 
Dialogue." While he is sincere in his efforts to promote 
religious tolerance and engage extremists in theological 
debates, the program lacks any accountability or evaluation 
component and no data exists on recidivism rates for 
detainees who have been released. End Comment.) 
 
 
6.  (U) In addition to targeting high-threat individuals, the 
ROYG routinely monitors mosques for sermons that incite 
violence or expound extremist ideas against the state. 
Security and intelligence authorities also monitor the 
activities of local Islamic organizations with links to 
extremist groups abroad.  The ROYG closes mosques that 
demonstrate a pattern of supporting violence and encouraging 
action against the state. 
 
7.  (U) Authorities also target extremist religious schools. 
Within the last year, the government began closing unlicensed 
schools under a previously dormant 1992 education law. In 
March 2005, the ROYG announced that it had closed over 3000 
unlicensed schools for promoting extremists religious views 
and violence.  In addition to targeting schools, immigration 
and security officials actively pursue and deport foreign 
religious students studying at schools associated with 
extremism.  ROYG also works in conjunction with the countries 
of origin to prevent students from studying illegally at 
non-approved facilities or without the appropriate visa.  In 
August 2005, the ROYG worked with the Indonesian government 
to deport close to 80 Indonesians who had been studying at 
unlicensed institutions that teach extremist ideology. 
 
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Promoting Tolerance 
------------------- 
 
8.  (U)  In addition to closing institutions, the ROYG also 
engages religious leaders to combat the spread of extremism. 
In 2004, the Ministry of Vice and Religious Guidance 
sponsored the first "Guidance Conference," bringing together 
more than 270 Muslim clerics from across the region to 
promote moderate and tolerant Islamic ideas. The conference 
concluded with recommendations to combat extremism in Islam. 
The Ministry also conducted training for 350 Yemeni Imams on 
combating extremist ideas. 
 
------------------------------- 
USG Efforts to Combat Extremism 
------------------------------- 
 
9.  (U) Embassy Sanaa employs a number of different programs 
to combat extremism through strengthening democratic 
institutions and encouraging economic development.  Support 
and expertise comes from a wide variety of sources, including 
MEPI, PD funds, USAID, Department of Agriculture, and 
Department of Defense, to address two contributing factors to 
extremism in Yemen - poverty and weak government institutions. 
 
----------------------------------- 
Middle East Partnership Initiative 
----------------------------------- 
 
10.  (U) MEPI provides essential support to combat extremism 
with its focus on democracy promotion, economic reform, 
quality education, and women's empowerment.  One key project 
includes a $467,000 grant through Partners for Democratic 
Change to foster cross-sector consensus building across 
different tribal and geographic communities.  The project 
will not only provide a tangible benefit to the community, 
but will also foster dialogue and tolerance by bringing 
different communities together in collaboration on 
development projects.  Another key project will provide 
information technology training for women and community 
outreach to encourage girls to pursue careers in information 
technology. 
 
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Public Diplomacy 
---------------- 
 
11.  (U)  The PD section runs several programs aimed at 
promoting tolerance and encouraging intellectual debate.  For 
example, exchange programs have been a particularly useful 
tool to develop mutual understanding and expose students to a 
wide variety of ideas.  Through America-Mideast Educational 
and Training Services, Inc. (AMIDEAST), PD administers the 
Partnership for Learning Youth Exchange and Study (YES) 
program, which funds one year of study for Yemeni students at 
an American high school.  Fulbright exchanges have also been 
a useful tool for encouraging dialogue, modern educational 
systems, and scientific thought.  Exchange programs for youth 
have been the most successful tool, as graduates inevitably 
more into positions of influence and become excellent 
counterparts as agents of progress and change. 
 
12.  (U)  Opportunities for exposure to American culture and 
pluralistic ideas is not limited to U.S. based programs.  PD 
also provides many opportunities in-country for local 
students with MEPI support.  Micro-scholarships have been 
very successful at giving underprivileged students a chance 
to study English and be exposed to a pluralistic 
educational system. The program will expand dramatically this 
year to 450 scholarships, compared with only 30 students in 
2004.  PD also created e-learning centers across Yemen, with 
a special focus on increasing Internet access for girls. The 
program is already exposing students to a range of ideas and 
fostering open intellectual exchange with American students. 
Two American Corners, one in Sanaa and another in Dhamar 
provide additional venues for outreach, and PD plans to open 
two more centers in Mukalla and Taiz within the next several 
months. 
 
13.  (U)  Improving girl's and women's education is also a 
key component of promoting tolerance and combating extremism. 
 Small grants have been an especially successful tool, 
including support for a successful program to target 
illiteracy and develop enterprise skills for rural women in 
western Yemen. 
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USAID 
----- 
 
14. (U) USAID's overall goal is to support USG 
counter-terrorism objectives by helping to develop a healthy 
and educated population with access to diverse economic 
opportunities.  By improving health, education and family 
income, USAID helps reduce the country's vulnerability to 
extremist ideas.  Programming is targeted in five tribal and 
vulnerable governorates, including Amran, Sa'adda, Al-Jawf, 
Marib and Shabwa.  Specific programs include expanding health 
care for mothers and children, improving basic education 
(especially for women and girls), increasing incomes in rural 
areas, and strengthening democracy and governance. 
 
15.  (U) USAID has leveraged its limited ESF funds by 
partnering with other USG agencies and programs, such as the 
MEPI program, Department of Agriculture and the Department of 
Defense.  Through a partnership with MEPI, USAID expanded its 
democratic and governance program to implement programs on 
decentralization and parliamentary reform.  Post allocated 
Department of Agriculture P.L.480 and 416(b) Food Aid funds 
to reinforce USAID's programs to build schools and hospitals, 
and to implement numerous agriculture projects.  USAID has 
also partnered with DOD to renovate schools and clinics and 
provide community medical and veterinary services. 
 
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Military Assistance 
-------------------- 
 
16. (U) The Department of Defense, through the Coalition 
Joint Task Force - Horn of Africa (CJTF-HOA) provided over 
$1.2 million for civilian affairs projects and humanitarian 
assistance over the last year.  Programs included visits by 
USG military doctors and veterinarians, which provided 
examinations and treatments to 3,000 people and 22,000 
livestock.  Projects also included the refurbishment of five 
schools in Sanaa, Aden, and Sa'adda, as well as two clinics 
in Taiz and Aden.  Helping the ROYG meet basic infrastructure 
and development needs strengthens the relationship between 
the population and the government, and reduces the 
community's susceptibility to extremist ideas. 
 
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Comment 
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17.  (C) Comment: The ROYG is focused on combating extremists 
and deterring their ability to attack domestic and western 
targets.  With the help of USG security assistance, Yemeni 
MOI forces have established an effective nascent counter 
terrorist organization, as well as creating a coast guard to 
enhance maritime and border security.  USG security 
assistance is continuing to work with MOD and MOI in building 
the capacity to fight well-armed insurgents and terrorists 
within the country, as well as strengthening border security 
to prevent extremist elements from moving people and arms. 
 
18.  (C) Attention must now be focused on democratic and 
economic development to reduce the susceptibility of Yemen's 
heavily rural and poor population to extremist ideologies. 
Continued assistance through a wide range of USG programs 
will be essential to strengthen democratic institutions and 
rule of law, encourage economic growth, and widen educational 
access, especially for women.  While a wide range of 
assistance is planned for next year, the implementation of 
the ROYG's Threshold Plan for the Millennium Challenge 
Account will also be an important tool in combating 
corruption and strengthening the rule of law, thereby 
increasing the government's ability to tackle development 
issues and decrease animosity toward the central government. 
Post will continue to encourage the ROYG to move beyond 
military operations against extremists and approach the issue 
in a comprehensive manner to create an open, tolerant, and 
prosperous society based on strong democratic institutions 
and a vibrant economy.  End Comment. 
 
 
 
Krajeski