Islamic Movements in Yemen, Relationship with Authority [Archives:2000/38/Reportage]

Mohammad Al-Zayedi,
Islam is the religion that renounces violence, disparity among Muslims. It rejects infidelity and calls for unity. It is a growing concern to see disparity and conflicts among the Islamic nation which have resulted from the Islamic movements. These movements are considered to be upcoming danger Muslims have to face and deal with.
In Yemen there are many of these movements which used to be clandestine before the unity. However, after declaration of the unity in 1990, they started picking up strength and carried out their activities openly. Relations between these movements were based on interest of the Authority which has been supporting the ones that serve its interest and fighting those posing a threat to its interest. This report sheds light on movements that are currently working in Yemen and their relationship with the Authority.
1) The Islamic Jihad Movement:
It is pretty hard to say for certain the time this movement came to existence in the country, due to its being a clandestine movement and is not like a political party. However, we can generalize the idea that this movement is an extension of the al-Jihad Islamic Movements that exist in some Arab and Islamic countries. These movements were formed after calls for establishing an Islamic rule were declared by some Islamic scholars such as Omar Abdulrahman who used to be the leader of Islamic groups in Egypt. He was jailed during the reign of al-Sadat. He, then, left for Sudan and then to USA as a political refugee. In 1992, he was arrested and accused of being involved in exploding a trade center in the USA. Ayman al-Dhawahri was also another Islamic preacher who left Egypt to live with Osama Bin Laden in Afghanistan. Osama Bin Laden is considered to be the real leader of the Islamic al-Jihad movement. He supervises al-Kaidah camp where Mujahidin are trained. In general, Sheikh Osama Bin Laden is considered to be the supporter as well as the supervisor of al-Jihad Movements in Yemen.
The Movement Development in Yemen:
After their return home from Afghanistan where they took part in the war against Russia (1987-1990), Yemeni Mujahidin formed groups of Islamic Jihad movement in Yemen. Upon declaration of unity in 1990 and formation of plurality, all parties started to work openly and make known their identity. Muslim Brotherhood formed the Yemeni Congregation for Reform Party, Islah. Mujahidin did not form any form of organization or any party. However, on the very day of signing the unity agreement, sheikh Tarek al-Fadli, who came back from Afghanistan and was fugitive in the then Northern part of Yemen, went to his region, Abyan and formed in al-Koor mountains an Islamic army of Mujahidin. There were also dominant Mujahidin figures from the South-Eastern governorates including Abdulkawi al-Jaadi in Yafea Mountains, Yaslim al-Awlaqi in Shabwah governorates and Jamal al-Nahdi from Nahd tribes in Hadramout.
Following the unity, these leaders started leading some groups to carry out activities against the Yemeni socialist Party. As for the movements political side and religious guide, sheikh Omar Ahmad Saif came out to be the most outstanding figure during that time. He was against the unity with the socialists as he believed them to be disbelievers. He left Sanaa for al-Jawf governorate. Moreover, some groups came to the country and arranged for trips to places where these Mujahidin live.
Good Relations among some figures of this group and some military influential figures in the then Northern part of the country facilitated things for them to receive support and assistance from outside the country.
After the unity many leaders of the socialist party came to be the target of assassination operations. Mujahidin were convicted of carrying out those operations. When the conflict between the YSP on the one hand and the PGC and Islah on the other intensified, many leaders of the socialist party were assassinated even inside the capital Sanaa. The YSP accused some military leaders in the North to support and make use of these Mujahidin to exercise pressure on the party.
Becoming more aware of the hazards of this group, military forces under the control of the YSP attacked the stronghold of sheikh Tarek al-Fadli. A Military engagement between forces belonging to the party and the sheikhs supporters took place. However, they reached a cease-fire agreement when some top influential figures interfered and Sheikh Tarek gave himself up to sheikh Abdullah bin Hussain al-Ahmar. He was then transferred to Sanaa. This confrontation led to the dispersing the Mujahidin military army which he started to develop by sheikh al-Fadli. Despite continuous calls by the YSP to try sheikh Tarek, he was spared the trial due to his good relationship with top officials in the then Northern part and due to tense relations between the YSP on one hand and the PGC and Islah parties on the other.
Sheikh Tarek al-Fadli and Jamal al-Nahdi were then requested to cease this movement on exchange for gaining military posts and becoming members of permanent committee in the PGC, a step that YSP viewed as the prize for the assassination operations conducted against its leaders.
The Movement Relationship with the Authority During war of 1994
The movement had good relations with the authority when war of 1994 was waged. Many members of the movement participated in the war due to their military skills and experience. At the same time many of the movement leaders were killed during that war including Yaslem al-Awlaki who was killed in Shabwah and Abo al-Dardaa al-Khader, killed in Mukairas Mountains in Abyan.
The movement obtained a lot of booty which were kept with its prominent leaders. After the war was over, the movement negotiated with the authority to be granted official posts and other facilities for their pivotal role during the war. Conflicts between new leaders of the movement and the authority led to military confrontations in Aden resulting in 12 deaths on the side of the movement. However, the movement was able to occupy the Crater Security Command.
When the YSP was degraded and became weak, the authority found that it useless to deal with those Mujahidin. It began pursuing them and sent them to jails. Preachers coming from outside Yemen were also jailed. Other preachers living in Yemen were deported to countries where they were not wanted. By the end of 1997 the number of Mujahidin detained by the authority was about 150 including Yemenis, Arab and foreigners. Though the movement old members were integrated in the PGC, new leadership of the movement sought to set up a new camp under a new leadership in al-Koor Mountains in Abyan governorate. Aden-Abyan Islamic army was established as a result. The authority tried not to escalate confrontation with the movement army. It started negotiations with their representative Abo al-Hassan Abo Bakr al-Mehdar. However, these negotiations came to no avail owing to the movement unflagging demands for their allowances and for the release of some of members who were detained by the authority including Abdulrahman al-Jazaeri who was detained in Dhalea governorate after resisting security forces and killing 3 military men in the first half of 1916 Hegira.
In December 1998 and after negotiations came to nothing, 12 foreigners were kidnapped by Abo al-Hassan to exercise some pressure on the authorities to release some members of the movement including those arrested while preparing for acts of sabotage in Aden before Christmas festivals. However, in that kidnapping incident security forces were following him up. They exchanged fire and as a result four tourists, an Egyptian called Abo Osamah al-Massri, who was a member of the movement, two Yemenis from the movement and two soldiers from the side of the security force were killed in the exchange of fire. While Abo al-Hassan and some of his supporters were arrested. Following this a campaign was conducted to chase other members of the movement who belonged to the Islamic military army. Other members who were of different nationalities escaped to Shabwah.
One of those who were arrested in Shabwah was a 17-year son of Abo al-Hamzah al-Massri later found to be in connection with Abo al-Hassn. Abo al-Hamzah al-Massri is leader of the Al-Shariah Supporters Movement and has been settling in Britain after it was disclosed that he planning to send some of his men to the country to be trained and to carry out acts of sabotage.
Tension mounted between the movement and some military officials in the authority, specially after the kidnapping incident and explosions attempts. Then, a public trial was arranged for Abo al-Hassan, leader of the army. During the trials of this leader various explosion operations were implemented in some governorates including Dhalea, Aden, Abyan by the dispersed members of the movement. In one of these explosions the office of the PGC party was set on fire in al-Wadea in Abyan. Other public offices were bombarded by bazookas in Lawder and Jeaar in Abyan, etc. In City Center explosion, official sources declared that its owner was the one behind the explosion and not as Abo al-Hamzah stated to claim responsibility. All those blasts were conducted while Abo al-Hassan was being tried.
During this time the authority tried to ease the tension that has mounted with the movement members in terms of trying to gain the favor of some dominant members of the movement, specially those who have tribal affiliation. Some of them were granted military posts. Promises not to execute Abo al-Hassan were also given by officials to the movement members. However, when the authority felt in control, it declared the execution of Abo al-Hassan.
Upon the execution of Abo al-Hassan, Hatem Abo Farid was assigned as the new leader of the military army. However, he soon was arrested and sent to jail.
The Movement’s Relationship with Yemeni Tribes:
Leaders of the movement tried to attract most of its supporters from the tribal sources. Chief leaders of the movement outside Yemen including Osama Bin Laden met with some sheikhs abroad to enhance strong relations. Moreover, he sent some of his representatives to meet them. In case of any problem occurred between the movement supporters and the authorities, these sheikhs used to go mediating.
The Movements Vision of Power:
The movement views that current Arab and Islamic governments as infidels and that the rulers are disbelievers. They see that they are pro-west. They believe that it is impossible to achieve a real Islamic rule unless Jehad is applied. They claim that Islamic movements have already tried democracy and when they won power as in Algeria, west countries oppressed them.
The Movement’s Relationship with Other Islamic Groups and Movements in Yemen:
1) The movement’s relation with Moslim Brotherhood :
Mujahdin think that Moslim Brotherhood has come in close terms with the rulers and that they participated in democracy which they considered as prohibited, Haram. They also indicate that elections are also prohibited.
2) The movement’s relation with al-Ehsan and al-Hekmah al-Yamaniah Societies:
The movement has a distinguished and intimate relationship with al-Ehsan and al-Hekmah al-Yamaniah societies that exist in Yemen. Supporters of the movement acquire learning in the institutes and annual summer camps that are organized by these societies. They also acquire learning in some centers of the Salafiah Mission.
3) The movement’s relationship with Salafiah headed by Muqbel al-Wadei:
Despite the fact that the movement and Salafiah agree on Sunah doctrine, they disagree on the way of ruling. Salafeen say that Islamic governments do exist, however, they lack knowledge to apply Islamic Shariah. Salafiah does not believe in democracy and plurality which are the time ordeal, according Mukbel al-Wadie, the leader of the mission.
On the other hand, Mujahdin disagree with Salafeen in the notion of Jehad. Salafeen see that it is impossible to apply Jehad at this time and that Jehad should be applied through science. However, Mujahidin see that Jehad is a must to establish an Islamic country.
4) The movement’s relationship with other Islamic movements:
Mujahidin see the Sufeen and Shiaa are Islamic groups that have gone astray. However, they dont say that their individuals are disbelievers. Rather they disagree with them as they disagree with al-Zaidi doctrine in some matters relating to jurisprudence. However, the Mujahidin movement sees that al-Bahrah group concentrated in Haraz is a disbeliever group that should be fought.
The Movement’s Current Position:
Observers and those interested in Islamic movements view that the Islamic Jehad Movement started to lose power in the past two years due to the authoritys strong grip over it after Abyan kidnapping incident. The authority tried to disperse its supporters and get rid of them through facilitating their travel for Jehad in Chechnya through Pakistan and Afghanistan. However, some members as well as leaders of the movement assert that this is a preparation period and that the movement is still working under some clandestine leadership. They said that they would intensify their preaching activities through holding summer camps, lectures that are delivered in some mosques and some clandestine meetings for the leaders and members.
Some members of the movement are sent to Afghanistan to be trained in al-Kaidah Camp. Authorized sources in the movement claim that about 30 persons of its members were still detained in the Political Security. One month ago Abo Abdulrahman al-Jazaeri was released and was deported to Syria, they stated, adding that they do not intend to carry out any military acts against the authority or any other institution unless they are forced to do that. They also said that if Osama Bin Laden decided to leave Afghanistan for Yemen, they would protect him even by risking their lives.

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