June 15, 2009

Seven Western Hostages Murdered in Yemen- likely by al Qaeda- Update: Six Alive?

There are conflicting reports coming out of Yemen on the status of nine foreign hostages kidnapped days earlier in Sa'ada, Yemen. One report says three hostages were killed, most say seven were murdered- shot not beheaded and two children were left alive. Another very new report from Yemen says six have been recovered alive.

Looking to the question of who murdered them, the least likely group is "tribesmen" who have kidnapped nearly 200 this decade. All those kidnappings were announced at once and all hostages were released unharmed after negotiations with the government. The next least likely is the Shiite rebel group, the Houthis. In four years of war, the rebels have mingled with civilians but never targeted them, and they never engaged in any kidnappings. A more possible culprit is the Yemeni Political Security Organization which has previously, it is said, created terror attacks against western tourists in order to gain counter terror funding for the regime. The most likely actor is Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), which has claimed credit for all the prior lethal attacks on tourists. Although the Yemeni government has taken great pains to pin the kidnappings and now the murders on the Shiite rebels, it doesn't jive with history. The victims were associated with a Baptist medical team and were found in an area where a Baptist doctor was killed by al Qaeda in 2002. They were taken from a zone well controlled by the Political Security that would inhibit access by the rebels, but allow it by terrorists. (The Yemeni government has engaged the services of al Qaeda linked terrorists as mercenaries against the Shiite rebels in the Sa'ada governorate.)

Check back for updates. Previous reporting and current links below the fold:

Yemen Rebels Deny Kidnapping Foreigners Jawa

Seven Hostages found dead in Yemen The National

Three hostages found dead, six alive Yemen Online

Yemen Post

Seven bodies found including child BBC

Arabic statement from rebel leader denying kidnapping Armies of Liberation