US embassy cable - 05SANAA3442

S E C R E T SANAA 003442 
 
SIPDIS 
 
FOR NEA/ARPI AND S/WCI 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/11/2015 
TAGS: PREL, PTER, KAWC, YM, COUNTER TERRORISM 
SUBJECT: DCM PRESSES MFA ON GTMO DETAINEE TRANSFER AND 
SABAWI 
 
REF: A. SANAA 3232 
     B. STATE 221825 
 
Classified By: DCM NABEEL KHOURY, FOR REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D). 
 
1. (C)  DCM called on Deputy FonMin Mohy al-Din al-Dhabi on 
December 10 to press for an answer to Embassy's November 21 
diplomatic note proposing the transfer of 13 Yemenis from 
Guantanamo Bay to Yemen (ref A).  Al-Dhabi reiterated FonMin 
Qirbi's assurance to DAS Gordon Gray on December 3 that the 
ministry was "working on a response," but said he did not 
expect an answer during the coming week, since the ruling 
party will be holding its annual conference in Aden.  He 
mentioned that several ROYG agencies were engaged in 
"examining the legal issues" surrounding the transfer. 
 
2. (S)  DCM also pressed al-Dhabi for an update on Embassy's 
November 21 request to freeze the assets of Former Iraqi 
Regime Element Umar al-Sabawi and to prevent his sending and 
receiving funds in Yemen (ref B).  Al-Dhabi said the ROYG had 
"checked on his assets" and estimated that he had "about USD 
10,000 in cash" in Yemen.  With regard to stopping his 
ability to transfer and receive money, he said "other 
agencies" were working on the issue. 
 
3. (S)  DCM also asked if the Iraqi Government had formally 
requested Sabawi's extradition, to which al-Dhabi responded 
in the negative, adding that the Iraqi ambassador, with whom 
he had recently met, "did not even raise Sabawi." 
Krajeski