Yemeni official describes Osama Bin Ladin as "the big devil"

SANA’A, March 19
(Saba)- A Yemeni official has described al-Qaeda leader in Afghanistan, Osama Bin
Ladin, as "the
big devil" and leader of al-Qaeda in the Arab Peninsula in Yemen, Nasser
al-Wuhayshi, as "the small devil".
Numaan Dowaid, governor of Sana'a, was quoted by the Saudi daily Okaz as saying
that the explosive capsule used in the failed attempt on Prince Mohammad's life was
prepared
by members of al-Qaeda who were trained in Afghanistan.
The attempt on the life of Prince Muhammad, assistant minister of interior for
security affairs, took place on 27 August.
The suicide bomber who tried to assassinate Prince Muhammad was later identified by
the Ministry of Interior as 23-year-old Abdullah Hassan Tali' Asiri. Asiri was on
the
kingdom's list of 85 most-wanted militants. Asiri died in the attack while the
prince suffered slight injuries.
The Yemeni official claimed that the "advanced technique" used in preparing the
capsule was not available in Yemen.
"The techniques used are advanced. The capsule was prepared by the deviant
organization," he said.
He rejected previous claims by Yemeni sources that the explosive capsule was made
in Yemen and that it used chemicals that were readily available at local markets.
The al-Qaeda in the Arab Peninsula had previously announced, on extremist websites,
that it was responsible for the attack.
Dowaid admitted that there were al-Qaeda training camps in Yemen but said that
these members did not have access to advanced technology.
The Yemeni official said that al-Qaeda members were trained in Afghanistan and were
then sent to Yemen to carry out terrorist operations against Yemen and the kingdom.
"They think they will be remembered as heroes but they are serving the goals and
ambitions of the enemies of the Ummah," he said.
Dowaid claimed that the leadership of al-Qaeda in Yemen were hiding somewhere in
Shabwa Province but he could not confirm exactly where they were.
"If we knew, we would not hesitate in raiding the place." He said both have been
trying to destabilize Yemen, target its infrastructure and institutions. In a
similar way,
they were trying to target the kingdom's security.
Dowaid would not confirm or deny that Saudis were among the 11-member al-Qaeda cell
arrested at a house raided by authorities in the capital Sana'a earlier this month.
The
raid resulted in the death of the father of one of the cell's members. Yemeni
sources said most of the cell members were young and were recruited in the area.
He said the al-Qaeda member, who attempted to escape from the Republican Hospital
in Sana'a, was a Somali who also holds US citizenship.
"He asked to go to the toilet. He then picked up a tool and hit the guard. He
failed to escape and security men arrested him." He said that al-Qaeda in Yemen
includes various
non-Arab nationalities, including "Africans and Asians".
YA