SANA'A: According to recent revelations made to Bikyamasr.com correspondents in Yemen, the paper launched an investigation into the alleged that the terror group al-Qaeda in the country would have with certain members of al-Islah party, Yemen's most prominent Islamic faction and main block of the opposition. Ever since the beginning of the popular uprising and al-Islah's virulent critic of President Ali Abdullah Saleh's rule over the country, calling him a despot, the a government accused the group of harboring ties with al-Qaeda, going as far as accusing some Islahis of promoting terrorism against the state. And if many attributed the rhetorical attack to a mere anger reaction on the part of the regime, security analysts said that actually Saleh had a point. For example, Sheikh Abdel-Mageed al-Zindani, one of Yemen most prominent clerics, powerful tribal lord and a high ranking member of al-Islah has been on America's most wanted terror list for years. President Saleh actually issued a warrant for his arrest last year after the Sheikh called on for Jihad against the regime, associating Saleh and his loyalists with infidels. Sheikh Tarek al-Dhabab who famously took the town of al-Baydha hostage under al-Qaeda banner as he demanded the release of some of the militants was on very friendly term with defected General Ali Mohsen al-Ahmar, a man who after decades of loyalty to President Saleh suddenly promoted himself to “Protector of the Revolution” siding with pro-democracy activists back in March last year. The Sheikh was also a member of al-Islah and most specifically part of the Jihadi Islahis, a group of Salafis hardliners which promotes not only a strict application of the Quran but advocates Holy war. Nasr Ali ahmed al-Faqih, a former Yemeni policeman who managed to thwart an al-Qaeda attack against the UN office in Sana'a back in 2005 recently revealed to the press that he had to pay a hefty price for daring stand in terrorists' way and protect his country. Nasr recalled that “elements” sought revenge on him after he foiled there plans, leaving permanently disabled. In an interview, al-Faqih accredited the attack to the National Security Services, convinced somehow that the government had ordered his death. As a result, the former policeman fled to Egypt, leaving behind his country. Wanting to understand why the NSA would ever want to reward fight against terrorism with murder, Bikyamasr.com asked a few questions and discovered that some of al-Islah members had actually infiltrated the NSA to allegedly provide al-Qaeda with valuable data. It is important to note that none of the above claims could be independently verified. Other anonymous sources spoke of a network of al-Qaeda agents operating under the banner of al-Islah working in the Central Security Forces and the 1st Armored Division which is under the command of General Ali Mohsen al-Ahmar, himself an Islahi. Members of the General People's Congress also advanced the theory that al-Islah was attacking the government by proxy through al-Qaeda, as it sought to destroy Saleh and his family. “Don't you think it is interesting that just as President Hadi [Abdu Rabbo Mansour Hadi] is being elected and as he refuses to remove from their positions the most qualified and trustworthy military figures of the country Ahmed and Yehia [Ahmed Ali Abdullah Saleh and Yehia Mohamed Saleh], al-Qaeda is suddenly popping out of its box, unleashing terror over the land? Don't you see that it is only the Republican Guards bases and the GPC offices that are being targeted here? Al-Islah is financing and promoting terrorism because it fits its interest,” said a GPC member under cover of anonymity. BM ShortURL: http://goo.gl/T0yGt Tags: al qaed, Entrenched in Yemen, featured Section: Latest News, Op-ed, Yemen
