On January 26, 2009, the Al-Jazeera TV website www.aljazeera.net posted an interview with Abu Basir Nasir Al-Wahishi, Emir of Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula. According to the interview prologue, the interview was conducted as "white phosphorous bombs were raining down on Gaza City" and at the same time as Osama bin Laden's audio message was released – that is, most likely before the ceasefire in Gaza. The prologue also states that AQAP operatives Nayef bin Muhammad Al-Qahtani and Abu Sufyan Al-Azdi Sa'id Al-Shihri were likewise present; Al-Shihri is a former Guantanamo detainee who recently appeared together with Al-Wahishi in a video.

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Who is Abu Basir Nasir Al-Wahishi ?

ANY ONE GOT HIS EMAIL?

I'D LIKE TO INTERVIEW HIM. g

Rusty from Mypetjawa did a piece on him.

A man identifying himself as Abu Basir Nasir al-Wahishi - one of 28 (ed-23) terrorist suspects who in February 2006 fled a high security prison in Sanaa - has claimed in an audio message posted on Islamist internet forums that he is the leader of al-Qaeda's branch in Yemen. The man who also uses the battlename Abu Hureira al-Sanaani, said his group's full name is al-Qaeda of the Jihad in Yemen... "I have been nominated leader of al-Qaeda in Yemen and I say no to any surrender to government forces. Ignorance and Islam can never blend together. Several tyrants have tried to insert ignorance in Islam but they have all failed," the man said in the 20 minute-long recording......

Shortly after the February escape, the regime released an Afghan Arab who was a Yemeni Intelligence Officer acquitted in the bombing of the USS Cole, along with 11 others, UPI reported. Since then several others have been released either through rehabilitation, mediation or escapes......

In Yemen, a significant number of leaders in the security forces, military and business community have sympathies and ties to al-Qaeda, or the international jihaddist network if you prefer. The Yemeni regime at a minimum turns a blind eye to facilitation of terror activities (financing, travel, training, documents). Most suicide bombers in Iraq are from Yemen and North Africa, US officials reported. The case can be made that tools of the Yemeni state support terrorism.

Paradigm Intel suggest the Yemen Gov may have made a deal.

Export YES, but no terror activities in Yemen.

Full paradigm classified.

Gerald

.UPDATE:

Arabian Peninsula al Qaeda groups merge

January 26, 2009 4:24 PM ET
By Jane Novak

[photo unavailable]

Al Qaeda in Yemen announced its merger with Saudi Arabia's al Qaeda organization to form al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula. The Yemeni government supports Hamas.

Originally published at https://warintel.blogspot.com/2009/01/yemen-new-pakistan.html on January 27, 2009.