US embassy cable - 03SANAA1377

C O N F I D E N T I A L SANAA 001377 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/16/2013 
TAGS: PTER, PREL, ASEC, YM, COUNTER TERRORISM 
SUBJECT: RECENT REPORTS OF EXPLOSIVE DEVICES UNSUBSTANTIATED 
 
REF: RSO/DS E-MAILS 
 
Classified By: Charge D'Affaires Alan G. Misenheimer for Reason 1.5 (b, 
d) 
 
1.  (C)  AP reported on 6/13 that Yemeni police defused a 
time bomb outside the Hadda Hotel late on Thursday, June 12. 
The hotel is located about 150 yards from a residential 
compound housing many foreigners, including Embassy staff. 
Foreign Minister Qirbi, the Ministry of Interior (MOI), and 
the Political Security Organization (PSO) have all assured 
the Embassy that this report is untrue. 
 
2.  (C)  The 6/13 AP article by Ahmed Al-Haj reported that 
"security guards found the bomb placed against the outside 
wall of the four-star Hadda Hotel shortly before midnight 
Thursday...."  Al-Haj said "police have made no arrests in 
the incident, which came a day after a bomb exploded about a 
mile from the hotel."  This story has since been picked up by 
the Yemen Times, a bi-weekly english-language publication, as 
well as both regional and international press. 
 
3.  (C)  While investigating the AP report, TDY RSO was 
informed by Yemen Hunt Oil Security Manager Ralph Gonzales 
that according to his (unnamed) sources, a hand grenade, not 
an improvised explosive device (IED), was found at/near the 
Hadda Hotel. 
 
4.  (C)  RSO met with the manager of Hadda Hotel on June 15, 
2003.  The manager does not consider the person who reported 
finding the IED credible.  In addition, on 6/16 TDY RSO was 
informed by the DATT that both DAO and Pol/Mil sources agree 
the AP report is a hoax. 
 
5.  (C)  Embassy officials have engaged ROYG at numerous 
levels -- from the Foreign Minister to MOI to PSO -- and have 
been unable to confirm either Thursday night's recovery of an 
IED, or the previous day's explosion alluded to in Al-Haj's 
article; or the grenade incident reported by Hunt Oil. 
 
MISENHEIMER