A False Foundation? AQAP, Tribes and Ungoverned Spaces in Yemen Edited by: Gabriel Koehler-Derrick THE COMBATING TERRORISM CENTER AT WEST POINT www.ctc.usma.edu September 2011 © Combating Terrorism Center at West Point (September 2011) The views expressed in this report are the author’s and do not necessarily reflect the Combating Terrorism Center, the U.S. Military Academy, the Department of Defense or the U.S. government. Editor’s Acknowledgements: This project is based on twelve months of fieldwork completed by the author from 2008 to 2009 and subsequent phone interviews with contacts in Marib and al-Jawf through the spring of 2011. The author’s name has been withheld from this report because of his continued research in the region. Nevertheless, the project would not have been possible without the assistance of a number of individuals who deserve very public thanks for helping to bring this report to fruition. First and foremost are the numerous Yemenis who generously shared their time and thoughts with the author. The sons of Marib and al-Jawf were exceptional hosts, and the author could not have asked for finer hospitality or friends. This report would quite simply not have been possible without their patience, contributions and insight. In addition, contributions from numerous scholars have helped the author and editor sharpen this report and make it a far more cogent exploration of two very complex phenomena: jihadism in Yemen and the tribes and customs of Marib and al-Jawf. Sincerest thanks to professors Steven Caton and Nelly Lahoud, who rigorously scrutinized drafts from two very different perspectives and provided invaluable comments that helped strengthen the project. Professors Paul Pillar, Bruce Hoffman and Daniel Byman were also generous in providing general critiques and feedback. At the Combating Terrorism Center, LTC Reid Sawyer and Dr. Scott Helfstein also deserve enormous thanks for their support and enthusiasm for the project and their insightful feedback. Special thank-yous to Dr. Arie Perliger (also at the CTC) for providing a minilesson on counterterrorism and counterinsurgency strategies, and to Vahid Brown for help disentangling the biographies of some local jihadists. Finally, shukran jazilan to the CTC’s crack Arabic research team for their support and help. Gabriel Koehler-Derrick West Point, NY September 2011 2 3 List of Acronyms: AQAM: al-Qa`ida and Associated Movements AQLY: al-Qa`ida in the Land of Yemen AQAP: al-Qa`ida in the Arabian Peninsula AQSAP: al-Qa`ida in the Southern Arabian Peninsula AQAP—SBY: al-Qa`ida in the Arabian Peninsula—Soldier’s Brigade of Yemen AQY: al-Qa`ida in Yemen AAA: Army of Aden Abyan GPC: General People’s Congress IJY: Islamic Jihad in Yemen PDRY: People’s Democratic Republic of Yemen PSO: Political Security Organization YAR: Yemen Arab Republic YSP: Yemeni Socialist Party 2 3 A Note on Transliteration: While there is no single format for transliterating Arabic words into English, this report uses the following system for transliterating the titles of all books, articles and media referenced. Proper names for people and places use the accepted English standard wherever one exists. For lesser known locations and for large tribal confederations, the Arabic name and transliteration are used. 4 5 Al-Qa`ida in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP): Significant Events 02/03/2006 Twenty-three men, including future leaders of AQAP, escape prison in Sana`a 09/15/2006 Al- Qa`ida in the Land of Yemen (AQLY) attacks oil facilities 10/13/2006 AQLY issues first media statement claiming September Vehicle Born Improvised Explosive Device (VBIED) attacks 06/20/2007 Qasim al-Raymi names second escapee Nasir al-Wahayshi AQLY amir 07/02/2007 Eight Spanish tourists killed in suicide bombing outside Madina Marib 01/13/2008 AQLY releases first issue of online journalSada al-Malahim 01/18/2008 Two Belgian tourists killed in a shooting in Hadramawt 02/25/2008 Escapee Hamza al-Qu’ayti’s Soldier’s Brigade claims shooting 03/13/2008 AQLY is renamed al-Qa`ida in the Southern Arabian Peninsula (AQSAP) 08/11/2008 Hamza al-Qu’ayti is killed in security raid, ending the Soldier’s Brigade 09/17/2008 Live shooters and VBIEDs attack U.S. Embassy in Sana`a, killing sixteen Yemenis 11/27/2008 AQC deputy Ayman al-Zawahiri calls al-Wahayshi “the best of brothers” 01/23/2009 AQSAP formally adopts banner al-Qa`ida in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) 03/16/2009 Four South Korean tourists killed in suicide bombing in Hadramawt 03/18/2009 South Korean delegation sent to investigate blast is targeted in Sana`a 05/15/2009 Al-Wahayshi issues tape defending right of southerners to protest 08/27/2009 AQAP launches suicide attack against Saudi counterterror chief in Jeddah 12/17/2009 U.S. and Yemeni forces launch morning raids in Abyan, Arhab and Sana`a 12/24/2009 Air strike allegedly causes high collateral damage in Shabwah 12/25/2009 Flight 253 bombing attempt over Detroit 01/19/2010 U.S. designates AQAP a Foreign Terrorist Organization 04/26/2010 Suicide bombing targets U.K. ambassador’s convoy in Sana`a 05/16/2010 AQAP issues tape pledging to defend online cleric Anwar al-`Awlaqi 05/22/2010 Al-`Awlaqi releases first video in conjunction with AQAP 05/25/2010 U.S. air strike mistakenly kills Marib deputy governor Jabir al-Shabwani 07/12/2010 First issue of AQAP English-language magazine Inspire is released 10/06/2010 UK Embassy convoy attacked by rocket-propelled grenades in Sana`a 10/29/2010 Explosives addressed to synagogues in Chicago are traced to AQAP 11/24/2010 AQAP strikes Huthi procession killing patriarch Badr al-Din al-Huthi 11/26/2010 AQAP suicide bombing targeting Huthis kills more than forty in Sa`da 12/30/2010 AQAP claims forty-nine attacks in three months, including thirty-six in Abyan 03/29/2011 Online reports of Islamic Emirate in Abyan surface but are later dispelled 05/28/2011 Local dailies report Islamist militants drive security forces from Zinjibar 4 5 KEY AQAP PERSONALITIES Name (English) Name (Arabic) Kunya Position Abu al‐Zubayr Religious Leader عادل بن عبد ﷲ بن ثابت العباب Al‐`Abab, `Adil bin `Abdullah bin Thabit Umar al‐Farouq Failed Suicide عمر فاروق عبد المطلب Abdulmuttallab, `Umar Faruq `Abdullah al‐Nijiri Bomber Flight 253 ;Abu Sabir al‐ Abyan Amir جميل بن ناصر العنبري Al‐`Anbari, Jamil bin Nasir Abyani Killed ’10 Abu Salih Senior Bomb إبراھيم حسن طالع عسيري Asiri, Ibrahim Hasan Tal`a` maker Abu al‐Harith Defected ’09 محمد عتيق عويض العوفي Al‐Harbi, Muhammad `Atiq الحربي Awayd al‐`Awfi` Abu `Atiq U.S. Yemeni انور ناصر عبدﷲ العولقي Al‐`Awlaqi, Anwar Nasir Abdullah Citizen; Cleric; Killed ’11 Abu Musa`ab Speaker Abyan محمد أحمد بن صالح عمير Al‐`Awlaqi, Muhammad Rally; Killed ’09 الكلوي العولقي ‐Ahmad bin Salih `Umayr al Kalawi ;Abu Salih Wanted Militant محمد ابن صالح الكازمي Al‐`Awlaqi, Muhammad Ibn Killed 2009 العولقي Salih al‐Kazimi None/ Maribi; Killed علي بن علي ناصر دوحة Duha, `Ali bin `Ali Nasir Unknown 2007 None/ Maribi; Alleged علي بن سعيد بن جميل Jamil, `Ali bin Sa`id bin Unknown AQ Commander None/ Maribi; Killed ’07 عبد العزيز سعيد محمد جردان Jaradan, `Abd al‐Aziz Sa`id Muhammad Unknown None/ Maribi; Killed ’07 ناجي بن علي بن صالح جردان Jaradan, Naji bin `Ali bin Salih Unknown ;None/ U.S. Citizen سمير خان Khan, Samir Unknown Editor of Inspire; Killed ’11 .Abu ‘Abd al‐ Lead in ’08 U.S لطف محمد بحر أبو عبد Abd al‐Rahman, Lutf Rahman Embassy Attack الرحمن Muhammad Bahr Abu ;Abu ‘Abd al‐ Hadrami Shaykh عبدﷲ أحمد عبدﷲ با ياسين Ba‐Yasin, `Abdullah Ahmad `Abdullah Rahman Killed ’10 None/ Jawfi; Killed ’07 عامر بن حسن صالح حريدان Al‐Muhashami, `Amer bin Unknown المھشمي Hasan Salih Haraydan 6 6 7 Abu Hamam Malahim نايف بن محمد بن سعيد Al‐Qahtani, Nayif bin Founder; Killed الكودري القحطاني ‐Muhammad bin Sa`id al Kudri 2009 Abu Samir Escapee; SBY حمزة سالم عمر القعيطي Al‐Qu`ayti, Hamza Salim `Umar Leader; Killed ’08 Abu Hathifa al‐ Jailed for link to فھد محمد احمد القصع Al‐Qus’a, Fahd Mohammed Ahmad `Adani USS Cole Abu Religious Leader إبراھيم ابن سليمان محمد Al‐Rubaysh, Ibrahim Ibn Muhammad الربيش Sulayman Muhammad Furqan al‐Tajiki Escapee; Killed فواز يحيى حسن الربيعي Al‐Rabay`i, Fawaz Yahya Hasan 2006 Abu Hurayra al‐ Escapee; Senior قاسم يحيى مھدي الريمي Al‐Raymi, Qasim Yahya Mahdi Sana`ani Military Leader Abu Salih Maribi; Role in ’09 عائض صالح جابر الشبواني Al‐Shabwani, `A’yd Salih Jabir Battle of Marib ;Abu Sufyan al‐ Gitmo Inmate سعيد علي جابر الخاتم الشھري ‐Al‐Shihri, Sa`id `Ali Jabir al Khatim Azdi Senior Deputy Gharib al‐ Escapee; Military محمد سعيد علي حسن العمدة Al‐`Umda, Muhammad Sa`id Ali Hasan Ta`izzi Commander Abu Basir Escapee; Overall ناصر عبد الكريم عبدﷲ ‐Al‐Wahayshi, Nasir `Abd al Leader or Amir الوحيشي Kareem `Abdullah 6 7 439*398 = = _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________0 = =_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________3 =____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________+- = a= 8 I == = = a= `= ! = = " =___________________________________________________________________________________________________________+2 = = ==+33*:+33.=_________________________________________________________________________________________,, ====+33.:+332=______________________________________________________________________________________________,0 8 I = ==+332:,**-=_________________________________________________________________________________________________-*