05 Jun 12 Osint Arabian Peninsula Tracker

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The CENTCOM
This OSINT publication contains foreign media derived entirely from open sources in and around the CENTCOM AOR.
05 Jun 2012
BAHRAIN Bahrain Sees New Dialogue with Opposition: TradeArabia Opposition groups in Bahrain have shown genuine interest in taking part in a new national dialogue that would include participants from across the political spectrum, government officials said. (Source: Bahrain; Financial; Neutral) Bahrain Sets Up NewRights Panel: Khaleej Times Bahrain on Sunday formed a supreme committee to follow up on the recommendations of the UN Human Rights Council. (Source: Dubai, UAE; Daily; Neutral) Bahrain Plans Solar Smart Grid Project: TradeArabia Bahrain has announced plans to implement the first-of-its-kind solar smart grid in the Middle East region thus paving the way for future smart cities in Gulf. (Source: Bahrain; Financial; Neutral) Bahrain Press Review: BNA Bahraini daily newspapers carried numerous headlines on most significant local news, activities and functions as well as latest Arab and international developments. (Source: Manama, Bahrain; Official Govt site) Bahrain Says Group Follows Violent Shi'ite Cleric: Reuters Bahrain justified moves to ban a small Islamist group on Monday by saying a radical Shi'ite cleric based abroad was its spiritual leader, while the move was seen by some as a renewed warning to leading Shi'ite opposition party Wefaq. (Source: International; HQ New York; Independent; Neutral) Bahrain Coordinating Committee Supports UN Human Rights Council Recommendations for Bahrain: PRN News The DC-based Bahrain Coordinating Committee announces its support of the recommendations proposed to the Kingdom of Bahrain by the United Nations Human Rights Council. (Source: International; HQ NY; Wire service) Bahrain Moves against Illegal Labor Camps: TradeArabia Bahrain has launched a nationwide crackdown on illegal labor camps to combat growing safety violations that put the lives of workers at risk. (Source: Bahrain; Financial; Neutral) KUWAIT MP Files Motion to Grill Kuwait Labor Minister: Gulf News A second lawmaker has filed a motion to grill Kuwaits social affairs and labor minister in a new indication of the difficult relations between the parliament and the cabinet. (Source: UAE; Independent; Pro-West) Cabinet to Issue Decision on Reducing Number of Expats Stay in the Country for Employment Only: Arab Times The Council of Ministers will soon issue a decision to reduce the number of expatriates in Kuwait so that they do not exceed 45 percent of the total population in Kuwait, reports Al-Rai daily quoting informed sources. (Source: Safat, Kuwait; Daily; Undetermined) Cabinet Says Al-Rujaib Grilling Undermines National Unity: Al Watan Daily
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05 Jun 2012
While the Cabinet on Monday discussed the options on the table to handle the current political situation in the country, reports have alluded to a possible mass Cabinet resignation in reaction to the cascade of motions to question ministers. (Source: Doha, Qatar; Daily; Undetermined) OMAN Gulf Countries to Save Up to $1b per Year with Smart Grid: Oman Daily Observer The Middle East & North Africa (Mena) region is in the early stages of its smart grid development but stands to realize strong benefits, including minimum savings of $300 million to $1 billion per year for Gulf countries, says a new study released yesterday by Northeast Group. (Source: Muscat, Oman; Undetermined; Daily) Oman Going Solar: Times of Oman From well-established companies and smaller trading houses to international investors, more and more people and companies are making solar energy systems available in Oman. (Source: Ruwi, Oman, Daily) QATAR Qatar Signs Pact to Host UN Climate Change Conference: Gulf Times Qatar and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) formally agreed yesterday to host the 2012 sessions of the UN Climate Change Conference in Doha from November 26 to December 7. (Source: Doha, Qatar; Independent; Neutral) Qatar Most Competitive in Gulf: IMD: Zawya Qatar has been named the most competitive country in the Gulf in new rankings published by the International Institute for Management Development (IMD). (Source: Dubai, UAE; Business focus; Neutral) SAUDI ARABIA KSA Demands UN Act to End Syria Carnage: Arab News The Council of Ministers yesterday expressed deep concern over the worsening security situation in Syria and called for an immediate UN Security Council intervention to stop the bloodbath, violence and crimes in the war-torn country. It also endorsed an agreement with the United Kingdom on the transfer of sentenced convicts. (Source: Jeddah, Saudi Arabia; Daily; Undetermined) Saudi Arabia among ME Countries Targeted by New 'Flame' Cyber Virus: Zawya Saudi Arabia has been named as one of a number of Middle Eastern countries that has been targeted by a newly discovered, highly sophisticated virus that has affected as many as 10 computer systems in the Kingdom, according to experts at Russian-based Internet security firm Kaspersky Labs. (Source: Dubai, UAE; Business focus; Neutral) FM Leaves for Saudi to Attend GCC Ministerial Meeting: KUNA Deputy Prime Minister, Foreign Minister and Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs Sheikh Sabah Khalid Al-Hamad AlSabah due to leave for Saudi Arabia to attend the 123rd ministerial meeting of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states in Jeddah on Tuesday. (Source: Safat, Kuwait; Govt News Agency) Grand Mosque Will Hold 1.5m Pilgrims after Expansion: Arabian Business Saudi Arabia says its ongoing SAR80bn (US$21.33bn) expansion of Makkah's Grand Mosque will eventually allow the Islamic holy site to accommodate 1.5m worshippers, it was reported. (Source: Dubai, UAE; Weekly Magazine)
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05 Jun 2012
Saudi Religious Cops Wrong over Mall Woman, Chief Admits: Arabian Business The chief of Saudi Arabia's religious police has strongly criticized one of the force's volunteers for ordering a woman to leave a shopping mall as she was wearing nail polish, it was reported. (Source: Dubai, UAE; Weekly Magazine) Keep Your Door Open to Saudis Abroad: King Tells Envoys: Emirates 24/7 King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia, receiving new ambassadors to some other countries, told them to keep their door open to Saudis abroad and warned them that he would know who will not heed his advice. (Source: UAE; Awraq Publishing, an Arab Media Group Subsidiary; Undetermined; Business Daily) Sharpest Rise in New Orders for 11 Months: Arab News Saudi Arabias nonoil private sector economy continued to expand at a robust pace last month, says new report from the Saudi British Bank (SABB) and HSBC. (Source: Jeddah, Saudi Arabia; Daily; Undetermined) Saudi-German Joint Commission to Review Key Projects: Arab News Finance Minister Ibrahim Al-Assaf and German Minister of Economics and Technology Philipp Rosler will co-chair the joint economic commission (JEC) meeting tomorrow. (Source: Jeddah, Saudi Arabia; Daily; Undetermined) UAE UAE Tops in Efficiency of Govt Fiscal Policy: Khaleej Times The UAE has been named the worlds most efficient country in terms of governmental fiscal policy. The Global Competitiveness Report 2012 also ranks the nation seventh globally in public sector financial management efficiency. (Source: Dubai, UAE; Daily; Neutral) UAE Keen to Build Bridges of Friendship, Says Khalifa: Khaleej Times forging balanced relations and in furthering economic, cultural and tourist exchange with brotherly and friendly countries, the President, His Highness Shaikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, affirmed on Monday. (Source: Dubai, UAE; Daily; Neutral) YEMEN Yemen Troops, Tanks Push Towards Qaeda-Held Town: Gulf Times, Reuters Hundreds of Yemeni troops backed by tanks advanced in a bid to retake a coastal town from Al Qaeda-linked fighters yesterday, residents said, part of a US-backed offensive in a country Washington sees as a frontline against Islamist militants. (Source: Doha, Qatar; Independent; Neutral) The Battle for Southern Yemen: Aljazeera The phone rang; it was the army public affairs officer who said "You can go with an escort to safer areas in Zinjibar".(Source: Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; Undetermined; Anti-West; Daily) Yemeni Journalist, Nobel Laureate to Visit Harvard: AP H.E. Tawakkol Karman, a journalist and activist who galvanized Yemeni support for the Arab Spring uprisings last year, will speak at a Harvard Kennedy school forum. (Source: International; Independent; Neutral) US Warns of 'Overlooked' Food Crisis in Yemen: Times of Oman US government aid agency on Tuesday warned that a humanitarian crisis in conflict-ridden Yemen was being "overlooked" despite escalating to levels seen in the Horn of Africa and the Sahel. (Source: Ruwi, Oman, Daily) Clashes in South Kill 23 Al-Qaeda Militants: Yemen: Daily Star
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05 Jun 2012
Yemen's Defense Ministry says fierce clashes in the south have killed at least 23 Al-Qaeda militants. (Source: Beirut, Lebanon; Independent; Daily, Except Sunday; Neutral) UN Draft Resolution Threatens Sanctions against Opponents of Yemens Move to Democracy: AP A proposed U.N. Security Council resolution that circulated Monday supports efforts by Yemens president to advance the countrys transition to democracy and threatens non-military sanctions against those trying to undermine the countrys national unity government. (Source: International; Independent; Neutral) Military Committee Discusses Strategy to End Division of Armed, Security Forces: Yemen Post The military committee on Monday started discussing a comprehensive strategy to restructure the Yemeni armed and security forces, which divided during the 2011 popular uprising, Saba reported. (Source: Sana'a, Yemen; Undetermined) Army Foils Al-Qaeda Attempt to Capture Town: Yemen Post The Yemeni army has foiled an Al-Qaeda attempt to take control on Attaq, the capital of Shabwa governorate, after the army imposed a siege on Al-Qaeda militants in the neighboring governorate of Abyan, security sources affirmed on Monday. (Source: Sana'a, Yemen; Undetermined) Curfew Imposed As Yemen Army Prepares to Retake Militant Strongholds: Yemen Post The Yemeni army imposed a curfew in several areas in Abyan province coinciding with further intensified battles to retake key strongholds of Al-Qaida militants, the defense ministry reported on Monday. (Source: Sana'a, Yemen; Undetermined) Abyan Governor: Al-Qaeda Will Be Defeated Soon: Yemen Post Governor of Abyan Jamal Al-Aqel has said that Ansar Alshari, an al-Qaeda-linked group, faces a very difficult situation, stressing that the Yemeni army makes remarkable progress against the militants who are pursued in their hideouts, as the governor said. (Source: Sana'a, Yemen; Undetermined) Gunmen Disappeared from Streets But Victims Increase Daily: Yemen Observer After signing the GCC initiative which stipulates that gunmen and militant barracks should evacuate the streets; and after the continuous statements of the Military Committee reporting cleaning the streets of Sanaa from gunmen as a whole, people believed that Sanaa would become safe. (Source: Yemen; Independent Twice-weekly Newspaper; Anti-Semitic) Houthis Take Control of Three Positions in North Yemen, Claim Confiscating Saudi Weapons: Yemen Observer The Houthi rebels of the Shiite group said they took over Saudi weapons in renewed battles with armed Salafis in the area of Kittaf area in the province of Saada. (Source: Yemen; Independent Twice-weekly Newspaper; AntiSemitic) Military Colonel: Dozens of Somalis Arrive in Yemen to Back Al-Qaeda: Yemen Observer Some 50 Somalis arrived in the al-Qaeda stronghold district of Jaar to back the militants against military troops surrounding the area. (Source: Yemen; Independent Twice-weekly Newspaper; Anti-Semitic) At Least 16 Killed in Yemen Sunni-Shiite Clashes: Zawya Yemen and Sunni Salafist extremists, according to claims by both sides on Tuesday. (Source: Dubai, UAE; Business focus; Neutral) Yemen, U.S. Discuss Preparations for Donors' Conference: SABA
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The CENTCOM
05 Jun 2012
Foreign Minister Abu Bakr al-Qirbi discussed on Tuesday with U.S. ambassador to Yemen Gerald Firestein the ongoing preparations for the donors' conference to be held in Riyadh on June 26 and the role of Yemen Friends in it. (Source: Sana'a, Yemen; Official; State-run) Northern Rebels Agree to Join Talks on Yemen's Future: Reuters Shi'ite Muslim rebels who control much of northern Yemen will take part in talks aimed at resolving the country's multiple political conflicts, a Yemeni official involved in preparing for the negotiations said on Tuesday. (Source: International; HQ New York; Independent; Neutral) EDITORIALS GCC Must React to Pentagons Total War On Islam: Arab Times I used to believe that the Obama administration had a policy of reaching out to the worlds 1.6 billion Muslims in an effort to mend fences incinerated by George W. Bushs wars. (Source: Safat, Kuwait; Daily; Undetermined)
Supporting Documentation: BAHRAIN (Top) 05 Jun 2012 TradeArabia Bahrain Sees New Dialogue with Opposition Opposition groups in Bahrain have shown genuine interest in taking part in a new national dialogue that would include participants from across the political spectrum, government officials said. The Information Affairs Authority (IAA) noted that the latest efforts to reach a political solution had been met with the "same spirit in which they are being offered". It noted a member of Al Wefaq had gone on record echoing that sentiment stating there was a real intention to reach a political solution through dialogue," it said in a statement. However, the IAA said "no single group or party has the mandate to dictate the terms of reforms in Bahrain". "Reconciliation and reaching an inclusive resolution is not an option, it is a necessity for all of Bahrain," it said. "Dialogue, engagement and active participation from across the political spectrum is essential." During the weekly Cabinet meeting on Sunday, the government announced the doors were open for dialogue as long as it was inclusive and engages all parties. TradeArabia News Service
05 Jun 2012 Khaleej Times Bahrain Sets Up NewRights Panel Bahrain on Sunday formed a supreme committee to follow up on the recommendations of the UN Human Rights Council. It is said the initiative was discussed during Bahrains human rights periodic review in Geneva recently.
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05 Jun 2012
The cabinet announced the formation of the panel which reflected the governments desire to boost human rights and ensure that legislations and programs in this respect are in line with international standards. The state minister for human rights affairs will follow up on the implementation of these recommendations with ministries and government bodies and submit report to the supreme committee.
05 Jun 2012 TradeArabia Bahrain Plans Solar Smart Grid Project Bahrain has announced plans to implement the first-of-its-kind solar smart grid in the Middle East region thus paving the way for future smart cities in Gulf. Bahrain's National Oil and Gas Authority (NOGA) is implementing five megawatt solar capacity into a wireless smart grid network at Awali area in co-operation with Petra Solar, Bahrain Petroleum Company (Bapco) and Caspian Energy Holdings. On the upcoming project, Marty Youssefiani, the CEO of Caspian Energy Holdings, said, 'Middle East has for some time evaluated the integration of solar energy for reduction of reliance on non-renewable energy sources. However, Bahrain is among the first in the region to implement a project of this kind, demonstrating a serious commitment to long term solutions.' The grid circumvents common interconnection issues and costs of traditional solar systems because of its ability to install into the current transmission and distribution infrastructure. Bahrain intends to spread similar sustainable technology across the country in the future, he stated. 'The project in Awali represents just the first step in a series of initiatives by Noga to diversify the sources of energy needed to ensure the sustainable development of the Kingdom,' remarked Minister of Energy Dr Abdul Hussain bin Ali Mirza. 'Following a successful implementation of this pilot project we expect that other projects will follow in the near future,' he added. With this project, Bahrain aims to ultimately transform its energy sector into one that is more environmentally friendly, said Gordon Smith, the Bapco chief executive officer. 'The landscape of Awali will be changed by this initiative; but more than the landscape, the operating philosophy of Bapco which relied totally on fossil fuels for generating its electricity, will also change as a result of this project,' he remarked.-TradeArabia News Service
05 Jun 2012 BNA Bahrain Press Review Bahraini daily newspapers carried numerous headlines on most significant local news, activities and functions as well as latest Arab and international developments. Below are some of these headlines: -HRH Crown Prince receives Yemen's Ambassador.
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05 Jun 2012
-CP receives visitors to HRH's weekly majlis; as attendees consider HRH's majlis a microcosm of the united familial Bahraini community. -Industry Minister as he inaugurates office of international technical services firm: Bahrain's economy stronger than ever before. -Foreign Minister partakes in GCC ministerial meeting today. -Interior Minister praises coordination between competent bodies in GCC countries. -Bahraini-Thai sides explore boosting of bilateral economic relations. -Bahrain celebrates International Environment Day. -Labor Minister: 6236 citizens provided jobs as unemployment rate stabilizes at 3.8% during 1st Quarter of this year (2012). -GCC Traffic Directors discuss traffic accidents and campaigns. -15 militants killed in US-drone strike in Pakistan. -Defense Ministers in Sudan and South Sudan meet to discuss border security. -Baghdad: Tens killed in car bomb attack in Shiite Endowments Bureau.
05 Jun 2012 Reuters Bahrain Says Group Follows Violent Shi'ite Cleric By Andrew Hammond Bahrain justified moves to ban a small Islamist group on Monday by saying a radical Shi'ite cleric based abroad was its spiritual leader, while the move was seen by some as a renewed warning to leading Shi'ite opposition party Wefaq. The U.S. ally has been in turmoil as democracy protesters from among the Arab state's Shi'ite Muslim majority continue with protests and civil disobedience while the Sunni ruling Al Khalifa family rejects demands for an elected government. The justice ministry said the Islamic Action group, or Amal, committed administrative violations including holding meetings inside Shi'ite houses of worship against regulations, as well as "following a religious source of emulation who calls openly for violence and hatred", state news agency BNA reported. The Iraq and UK-based cleric in question is Sayed Hadi al-Modarresi, an Iraqi who once lived in Bahrain before he was accusing of plotting a coup after the 1979 Iranian revolution. Modarresi belongs to a school of thought within Shi'ism that believes that a group of clerical jurists should rule, rather than the single jurist who rules in Iran. Amal says the government is trying to put pressure on the party to accept a national dialogue with the government aimed at ending the political crisis which grew out of protests that erupted 16 months ago. It was the only one of seven legal opposition groups to overtly reject the overtures, saying talks could not take place while protest leaders including from Amal are in prison. Former Wefaq Member of Parliament Matar Matar said the move to disband Amal presaged a possible attack on Wefaq itself. "It's easy to target Amal because they do not join the other opposition societies in their activities," he said. "Now government hardliners feel they have more room to maneuver."
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05 Jun 2012
The government threatened to close both Wefaq and Amal last year during a crackdown on the protests when they initially erupted in the wake of uprisings in Egypt and Tunisia. But intervention by U.S. officials appeared to shoot down the plan. The government warned clerics last month against incitement to violence, sectarianism, harming the economy and insulting state institutions, and an advisor said it was aimed against Sheikh Issa Qassim. Qassim led a pro-democracy protest of some 100,000 people in March, and in January he said followers should "crush" security personnel who hurt women. Qassim is not connected to any party, but is a spiritual guide to Shi'ites in Bahrain. The main opposition party Wefaq has led weekly mass protests for reforms. "The more interesting thing will be whether the dissolution of Amal signals a new, more legal-based tack with which to go after a much bigger prize in Wefaq," said Justin Gengler, a Bahrain researcher based in Qatar. The BNA statement asked other parties to take note. The ministry "renews its demand that political groups adhere to the constitution and respect the law," it said. The ministry was referring to a law governing political associations which opposition parties say are restrictive and should be reformed. The opposition wants to remove the upper house of parliament which is appointed by King Hamad and has the power to neutralize legislation proposed by the elected chamber. Wefaq has come first in previous elections, dominating the Shi'ite vote. The government released rights campaigners Nabeel Rajab and Zainab al-Khawaja last week - prominent leaders of attempts to stage protests inside Manama - after criticism of Bahrain at the U.N. Human Rights Council in Geneva, which called on Manama not to harass activists in contact with the United Nations.
05 Jun 2012 PRN News Bahrain Coordinating Committee Supports UN Human Rights Council Recommendations for Bahrain The DC-based Bahrain Coordinating Committee announces its support of the recommendations proposed to the Kingdom of Bahrain by the United Nations Human Rights Council. UN Human Rights Council issues recommendations to Bahrain at Universal Periodic Review. Sixty-six delegations from around the world, including the U.S., made statements and recommendations at the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) for Bahrain on May 21, 2012. The recommendations were informed by 18 reports from nonprofit and non-governmental organizations, including Amnesty International, Human Rights First, and Front Line Defenders, among others. The United Nations Office of the High Commissioner submitted a report documenting numerous human rights violations and transgressions against international law. Included among the UPR recommendations were that Bahrain * Restore peace and ensure the respect of all human rights in view of recent events (protests and security force crackdowns), and events associated with protests in February and March 2011. * Respect the rights of all citizens to freedom of expression and assembly. * Release prison detainees imprisoned in connection with the freedom of expression.
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05 Jun 2012
* Conduct new trials of all defendants convicted in military courts as soon as possible. * Prosecute security agents who tortured protesters and create new laws ensuring the accountability of security forces for human rights violations. * Establish a standing body to investigate all acts of torture. * Accept the visit of the United Nations Special Rapporteur on torture, Juan Mendez, who was scheduled to observe in March 2012 (his inspection was postponed by the government). U.S. calls for release of peaceful protesters The statement from the U.S. mentioned concern about "ongoing detention and trials of hundreds who participated in peaceful anti-government protests." The statement also referred to the prosecutions of twenty medical professionals and the human rights activist Abdulhadi Al-Khawaja. Bahrain refutes human rights abuses, despite evidence The Bahrain delegation refuted many of the well-documented human rights abuse claims. They maintained that the government had not used excessive force against protesters, and that there were no detainees for freedom of expression. Bahrain delegation claims freedom of the press in Bahrain, contrary to reports The delegation claimed there were no restrictions on journalists. However, restrictions have been legion, including the instance reported by the Committee to Protect Journalists when journalists from the Wall Street Journal, New York Times, Al Jazeera, BBC, and Christian Science Monitor were denied entry to the country. The delegation also claimed that no journalist had been detained since 2002. However, several journalists have been arrested and detained, including a U.S. reporter for the Wall Street Journal. A U.K. Channel 4 news crew was arrested and deported in April 2012, and a Bahraini policewoman is facing criminal charges for arresting, detaining, and torturing a France 24 reporter. UNHRC President Lasserre angered by reports of threats against delegates Controversy arose during the UPR session when United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) President Laura Dupuy Lasserre called on the Bahrain delegation to ensure reprisals were not taken against 14 Bahraini human rights defenders attending the UPR session. "I wish to remind you that we are all duty bound to ensure that nobody is persecuted on his return to his country for having participated in meetings of the human rights council or other bodies," stated Lasserre. The Bahrain delegation denied any involvement. About the Universal Periodic Review The 13th session of the Universal Periodic Review took place in Geneva, Switzerland. Information about the session may be obtained at the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights. About the Bahrain Coordinating Committee The Bahrain Coordinating Committee is a Washington, DC-based grassroots movement that works to obtain U.S. support for democracy and human rights reforms in Bahrain. For more information, please visit http://www.BahrainCoordinatingCommittee.org. Media Contact: Mary Fletcher Jones Bahrain Coordinating Committee, (571) 269-7559, bahraincc.org@gmail.com
05 Jun 2012 TradeArabia Bahrain Moves against Illegal Labor Camps Bahrain has launched a nationwide crackdown on illegal labor camps to combat growing safety violations that put the lives of workers at risk.
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05 Jun 2012
Landlords who illegally rent out houses as accommodations could be prosecuted as authorities increase efforts to launch inspections of unregistered camps and the 3,690 places listed with the Labor Ministry. Laborers are also being urged to file complaints against employers who flout safety measures and put them up in unregistered accommodations. It follows the tragic death of 10 Bangladeshi workers who suffocated from carbon monoxide poisoning after a fire broke out on May 27 in their unregistered East Riffa accommodation, where six slept in one room and four in another. "More than 3,000 camps are registered with the ministry and we have started strict action against companies flouting labor laws and allowing their workers to live in poor conditions," said ministry inspection and labor unions director Ahmed Al Haiki. "Some accommodations are not registered with the ministry and we are not authorized to inspect residential buildings. We have started a campaign to crack down on illegal camps and ask companies to register with the ministry. "If the camps are in really bad condition, we will give three warnings to change the location. If the companies ignore these warnings then we will take action and send the case to the court. "Our inspectors are visiting camps twice a year but we are going to increase the number of visits, even during the weekends. Last week's tragedy was an eye-opener for all the authorities. "We need workers also to call us and file complaints against their employers if they are living in unhygienic camps or old and dilapidated buildings, he said.
KUWAIT (Top) 05 Jun 2012 Gulf News MP Files Motion to Grill Kuwait Labor Minister A second lawmaker has filed a motion to grill Kuwaits social affairs and labor minister in a new indication of the difficult relations between the parliament and the cabinet. Parliament member Riyadh Al Adsani said that the quizzing motion against Ahmad Al Rujaib revolved around five topics that included alleged irregularities at the Orphans Care, deterioration of the sports situation in the country, bogus companies, weak oversight and malpractices involving the operations of cooperative societies. Last month, MP Al Saifi Mubarak Al Saifi filed a motion to grill Al Rujaib. However, he said that his topics differed from those by Al Adsani and refused to accept a possible merger of the motions. The existence of two grilling motions against the same minister is reminiscent of the case of Al Shamali, the former finance minister who had to face two motions before one of the MPs withdrew his move. The minister faced the grilling, but resigned afterwards. Backed by solid evidence
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05 Jun 2012
Al Adsani on Monday told reporters that his motion was backed by solid evidence and that it would be taken up by the parliament at its session on June 19. Sources said that the parliament would announce Al Adsanis grilling motion at its session tomorrow as part of routine procedures. The flurry of questioning cabinet members could produce new drama after MP Obaid Al Wasmi hinted at a possible motion to quiz Prime Minister Shaikh Jaber Al Mubarak Al Sabah over press reports suggesting that the government was likely to rebuff the Jaber University and anti-blasphemy draft laws. The draft for the anti-blasphemy law that stipulated the death penalty for insulting God, or Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) or companions or wife, was last month supported by 41 members of the parliament dominated by Islamist and tribal lawmakers. However, the draft needs to be endorsed by the Emir.
05 Jun 2012 Arab Times Cabinet To Issue Decision On Reducing Number Of Expats Stay In The Country For Employment Only The Council of Ministers will soon issue a decision to reduce the number of expatriates in Kuwait so that they do not exceed 45 percent of the total population in Kuwait, reports Al-Rai daily quoting informed sources. They said the decision will be issued to establish a balance between the number of expatriates and the number of Kuwaitis in the country. Expatriates can stay in the country for employment only within the period specified in their residential permit depending on the category they belong. They pointed out that by limiting the duration of the residential permit, the problem of citizenship claims and accumulation of redundant expatriate workforce can be prevented. They revealed that the Ministry of Interior, in collaboration with the Council of Ministers, have already started working on eliminating the problem of redundant expatriate workforce in Kuwait through security campaigns during which approximately 3,000 illegal residents were arrested. The ministry is also carrying out other required procedures to deport the arrested expatriates in order to reduce their numbers in the country. They also said the ministry, in coordination with security agencies, is taking other serious measures to eliminate this problem such as establishing labor accommodations, which will facilitate security operations when required. They also added that the companies or individuals who are responsible for the spread of illegal residents in the country will be severely punished with imprisonment for one to three months and fine of KD 10,000 to KD 100,000.
05 Jun 2012 Al Watan Daily Cabinet Says Al-Rujaib Grilling Undermines National Unity While the Cabinet on Monday discussed the options on the table to handle the current political situation in the country, reports have alluded to a possible mass Cabinet resignation in reaction to the cascade of motions to question ministers.
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05 Jun 2012
Reportedly, the Cabinet affirmed that the interpellation against the Minister of Social Affairs and Labor Ahmad AlRujaib undermines national unity. In this context, MP Osama Al-Menawer announced plans to question the Oil Minister Hani Hussein for what he described as "oil related violations". The lawmaker announced that he possesses documents containing gross finical irregularities and unlawful transactions involving the oil sector, pointing out that he will make his interpellation motion available to the Majority Bloc within a week or so in order to obtain its approval in preparation for its submission. Speaking to reporters, the MP stated that the documents in his domain warrant not only a political interpellation; rather they necessitate criminal investigation. Moreover, Al-Menawer addressed a barrage of parliamentary queries to the oil minister demanding answers about the owners of EQUATE with the details of the shares of each. He additionally asked the minister to shed light on the nature of ties between EQUATE Company and EQUATE Marketing. This comes at a time that reports have emerged suggesting that the Minister of Justice and the Minister of Awaqaf and Islamic Affairs Jamal Al-Shehab had informed the Cabinet of his desire to resign if the blasphemy law is rejected. According to sources, the political atmosphere is highly charged, hence a careful reassessment is needed, or else the current assembly will not serve out its mandate, amid reports that MP Obeid Al-Wasmi is drafting two motions to question His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah and the Interior Minister Sheikh Ahmad Al-Humoud Al-Sabah. With regard to the interpellation Al-Rujaib, an MP, who spoke to Al Watan on the condition of anonymity, stated that the lawmakers were informed that the minister will ask for the deferral of his interpellation's discussion for two weeks. Sources have reported that the Majority Bloc has discussed MP Al-Saifi Al-Saifi's interpellation against Minister AlRujaib during their latest meeting. Although Al-Saifi was reportedly asked to be patient, he was adamant about proceeding ahead with the interpellation. "I don't want prejudgment. Review the items in the motion and decide after hearing the two sides," the MP was quoted as telling his colleagues. In other news, the Cabinet has extended the tenure of three assistant undersecretaries in the Ministries of Commerce, Communications and Public Works, including Sheikh Dr. Mishal Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, Abdul Mohsen Al-Mutairi and Awatef Al-Ghunaim.
OMAN (Top) 05 Jun 2012 Oman Daily Observer Gulf Countries to Save Up to $1b per Year with Smart Grid The Middle East & North Africa (Mena) region is in the early stages of its smart grid development but stands to realize strong benefits, including minimum savings of $300 million to $1 billion per year for Gulf countries, says a new study released yesterday by Northeast Group. According to the study, smart grid is an opportunity for Mena
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05 Jun 2012
countries to incorporate their vast solar and renewable resources, manage growing demand, reduce carbon emissions and cut down on electricity system losses, The new study 'iddle East & North Africa Smart Grid: Market Forecast (2012-2022)' projects the smart metering market will reach 16.1 million units by 2022 with cumulative capital expenditure of $3.9 billion. The majority of nearterm activity will be in the Gulf region, where Saudi Arabia and the UAE are currently leading the way. By 2022, 86 per cent of homes and businesses in the Gulf countries will have smart meters. Other Mena countries outside the Gulf will develop at a slower pace due largely to political risk but represent larger market sizes and also stand to realize strong benefits from smart grid technologies. "All countries in the Mena region are facing high rates of electricity demand growth, and the Gulf countries have some of the highest levels of per capita electricity consumption and carbon emissions in the world. Demand side management is becoming increasingly important in these countries and smart meters will be an important tool in these efforts. By implementing smart metering, a conservative estimate is that Gulf countries could save a minimum of between $300 million to $1 billion per year on oil and natural gas used for electric generation. The actual savings could be much higher. Countries could then turn these savings into increased oil and gas exports," according to Northeast Group. "Mena countries are also aggressively pursuing renewable sources of energy, highlighted by Saudi Arabia's recent announcement that it is aiming to spend $109 billion to develop 41 GW of solar capacity over the next 20 years. Smart grid technologies will be instrumental in helping these countries incorporate intermittent renewable resources," according to Northeast Group. Governments of several Mena countries are experimenting with a number of policies to help curb domestic consumption of fossil fuels, including feed-in tariffs for renewables, conservation outreach campaigns, and electricity pricing mechanisms that more closely reflect the costs of electric service (regional electricity prices are currently among the lowest in the world). Several high profile transmission interconnection initiatives are also helping these countries to use their systems more efficiently. "Smart grid regulatory frameworks are in the early stages of development but progress is being made," Northeast Group added. "Governments are realizing they must incentivize energy conservation and are beginning to invest in the technologies necessary to make their grids smarter. Smart city concepts such as Masdar City in the UAE and the Pearl-Qatar in Qatar show that smart grid technologies will be a feature of Gulf infrastructure investments over the next decade." Northeast Group forecasts 5 segments of the smart meter or advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) market, including meter hardware, communications, IT, professional services, and installation services for 12 countries across the Mena region. In addition to smart metre market forecasts, the report covers distribution automation activity, wide area measurement initiatives and home energy management.
05 Jun 2012 Times of Oman Oman Going Solar
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By Sarah MacDonald From well-established companies and smaller trading houses to international investors, more and more people and companies are making solar energy systems available in Oman. One of the first providers of solar energy equipment in the Sultanate is Oman Solar Systems. Since 1991 it has been providing solar panels which convert light to energy and a variety of other systems. Oman Solar Systems has worked with several companies in Oman, both large and small, installing solar panels for them. It has projects for PDO, Omantel and OmanMobile, Occidental of Oman, the Ministry of Information, the Ministry of Regional Municipalities, the Ministry of Water Resources and many other companies and government departments. Local businessman Hussain Al Lawati, general manager of Al-Farahidy Technology Information, imports machinery and industrial products, including solar technology. We are a trade house so we buy them and sell them to customers here. It is business but we also want to do something useful for the country, he says. Al Lawati says many Omanis still think solar energy is too expensive. But there are solar systems that are affordable and compact, he says. He also plans to promote solar energy products in Oman by having an exhibition to show people the different types of panels and water heaters that are available and how much they cost. Hes optimistic about the future of solar energy in Oman. I can imagine that soon all the rooftops will have solar panels, Al Lawati says. Al Lawati says his company is interested in exploring other environmentally-friendly projects, such as green buildings that have natural light, better insulation to keep them cool, are built from recycled products, and of course, use solar energy. He says if European countries that dont have much sun can invest in solar energy, then Oman can, too. We have so much solar light and open spaces. And we have the materials to make solar panels, like aluminum, Al Lawati says. In fact, more and more foreign investors, especially Europeans, are looking at Oman because of its huge solar energy potential, too. Recently German and Swiss businesspeople visited Oman with plans of developing an entire solar energy system here, from making a plant to produce the panels to installing them and generating energy. Not only is Oman blessed with sunshine, but it also has silicon in the sand, and aluminum, both of which are used in the production of solar panels. This project is a comprehensive one. We are developing the entire value chain in the renewable energy sector, starting from production of silicon, setting up a factory to produce solar panels, aluminum frames for solar panels, a company to manage a university in collaboration with the University of Zurich to educate people on renewable energy, and a power plant, said David Heimhofer, chairman of the Swiss company Terra Nex. Another local company, National Heaters Industries Co., which makes Hotex water heaters, has solar water heaters available. They manufacture the tanks here and import the tubes that use solar thermal energy to heat the water and assemble the heaters here. The solar water heaters have many benefits because they dont scale or corrode, dont require electricity, are simple and safe, and have seven-year warranties.
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They work very well here. Particularly in Oman they should work well because we have sunshine all year, said Ravi Shankar, CEO of National Heaters Industries Co. Shankar says there isnt too much business in Oman for the solar water heaters yet, but some organizations and schools, including The American International School of Muscat have begun using them. The solar water heaters have yet to spread to the general population, which Shankar says probably wont happen without government legislation. He worries that locals arent willing to try something new and because most Hotex solar water heaters have 200l tanks, people find them too big and would prefer to have several small, 50l tanks. They want something which is traditional, which is electric. Theyre not conscious or interested in alternative energy, Shankar says. Shankar says it will take more pressure and legislation from the government before solar water heaters become the norm here. In the meantime, National Heaters Industries Co. exports the solar water heaters to Africa, where there is more demand since they dont require electricity. The 200l solar water heaters costs a bit less than buying four small electric ones, Shankar said, so prices shouldnt be a deterrent. They also pay for themselves in a few years, he added. Solar energy panels and water heaters may not yet be in great demand among the general population of Oman, but there is no doubt that for those interested, there are local sources. The future is also looking bright as companies consider producing solar energy panels locally. By then, perhaps there will be a larger market as solar energy becomes the norm in Oman.
QATAR (Top) 05 Jun 2012 Gulf Times Qatar Signs Pact to Host UN Climate Change Conference
(U) HE al-Attiyah and Figueres with al-Naser, al-Malki and al-Muhannadi. PICTURE: Shemeer Rasheed Qatar and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) formally agreed yesterday to host the 2012 sessions of the UN Climate Change Conference in Doha from November 26 to December 7. Commonly referred to as COP18/CMP8, the 2012 sessions will mark the 18th Conference of the Parties to the UNFCCC and the 8th session of the Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the parties to the Kyoto Protocol.
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In a ceremony at the Qatar National Convention Centre, the venue of COP18/CMP8, the Host Country Agreement was signed by incoming COP18/CMP8 president and chairman of Qatar Administrative Control and Transparency Authority, HE Abdullah bin Hamad al-Attiyah and the UNFCCC executive secretary Christiana Figueres. Speaking on the occasion, HE al-Attiyah stated that under the leadership of HH the Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani, Qatar has a proud history of hosting credible negotiations on tough issues. We look forward to welcoming the world to Doha in November to continue the ongoing work on global climate change policy, he said. Describing QNCC as the greenest building ever to host COP, HE al-Attiyah explained that the event will be attended by more than 17,000 participants from 195 nations, over 5,000 observers from civil society organizations and 1,500 media persons. Dohas largest event to date, it deals with one of the most serious issues of all time. The conference is being held for the first time in the GCC region, hosted for the first time by a major energy producing country and second time by an Arab nation. We can assure world class facilities, warmest hospitality, and transparency and inclusiveness to give every voice an opportunity, HE al-Attiyah said. Figueres observed that Qatar is rapidly becoming known throughout the world as a small nation with a big vision and a deep commitment to shaping an even brighter future. Climate change is one of the single most critical issues facing our world today and I congratulate Qatar on its commitment to hosting a transparent and open negotiation among the countries gathering in Doha this fall, she said. Preparations for the conference began earlier this year when HH the Heir Apparent Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad alThani issued Emiri Decree number 37 of 2012 establishing the Higher Organizing Committee to negotiate requirements for the upcoming conference with the UNFCCC and lead preparations for hosting the event. Chaired by HE al-Attiyah, the Higher Organizing Committee includes Minister of State for Foreign Affairs HE Dr Khalid bin Mohamed al-Attiya, Minister of Energy and Industry HE Dr Mohamed bin Saleh al-Sada, Minister of Environment HE Abdullah bin Mubarak bin Aaboud al-Midhadhi, COP18/CMP8 general co-coordinator HE Abdulaziz bin Ahmed al-Malki and Qatar National Food Security Program executive chairman HE Fahad bin Mohamed al-Attiya. Immediately following the Host Country Agreement signing, Qatar signed an agreement with Qatar Foundation naming the QNCC as the official venue for the event. HE al-Malki and QFs vice-president for capital projects and facilities management Saad al-Muhannadi were the signatories. Qatar also signed an agreement with QMDI for conference services and support. HE al-Malki and QMDI chairman Hamad al-Naser were the signatories. In a message, HE al-Malki said that the QNCC, in addition to being a world class facility, sets the standard for innovative use of sustainable design and technologies, even generating one-eighth of its own energy from solar panels.
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While COP18/CMP8 sessions are only open to official delegates of participating states and observer organizations, a wide variety of public events are planned around the conference. Details on the 2012 UN Climate Conference and related events will be made available over the next months on the official host country website, www.cop18.qa
04 Jun 2012 Zawya Qatar Most Competitive In Gulf: IMD Qatar has been named the most competitive country in the Gulf in new rankings published by the International Institute for Management Development (IMD). The Swiss-based organization placed Qatar 10th out of a total of 59 economies covered in its World Competitiveness Yearbook. Although the Gulf state fell two places compared to last year, it still retained its place as the top Gulf country. The UAE was placed 16th in this year's list and was one of the biggest climbers, up 12 places compared to the 2011 list. The global rankings were headed by Hong Kong, with the US, Switzerland, Singapore, Sweden completing the top five. The least competitive economies were named as Venezuela, Greece, which is currently at the centre of the euro zone crisis, and Croatia. IMD said the rankings measured how well countries manage their economic and human resources to increase their prosperity. Despite all its setbacks, the US remains at the centre of world competitiveness because of its unique economic power, the dynamism of its enterprises and its capacity for innovation, IMD added. Professor Stephane Garelli, director of IMD's World Competitiveness Centre, said: "US competitiveness has a deep impact on the rest of the world because it is uniquely interacting with every economy, advanced or emerging. No other nation can exercise such a strong pull effect on the world. "Europe is burdened with austerity and fragmented political leadership and is hardly a credible substitute, while a South-South bloc of emerging markets is still a work in progress. In the end, if the US competes, the world succeeds." IMD said emerging economies were not yet immune to turmoil elsewhere. China (23), India (35) and Brazil (46) all slipped in the rankings, while Russia (48) climbed only one place. Globalization is still seen as a positive development in Ireland, Scandinavia, Chile, the UAE and many Asian economies. But attitudes are much more negative in Greece, Russia, most of Eastern Europe, a growing part of Latin America, and, last of all, in France, the IMD added. It said attitudes toward reforms were more positive in Ireland, emerging Asia, Qatar and the UAE, Switzerland and Sweden.
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But the impetus for reform is much weaker in Argentina, the Czech Republic, Spain, and France, where austerity is seen as a cure worse than the disease. "The recession has made the world economy more fragmented and diverse than ever, forcing companies to operate several parallel business models," said Garelli. "Emerging economies are relying on domestic demand and national champion companies to insulate themselves from economic turmoil, while the 'submerging' developed economies are turning to re-industrialization. In both cases, economic nationalism is back and protectionism is tempting."
SAUDI ARABIA (Top) 05 Jun 2012 Arab News KSA Demands UN Act to End Syria Carnage The Council of Ministers yesterday expressed deep concern over the worsening security situation in Syria and called for an immediate UN Security Council intervention to stop the bloodbath, violence and crimes in the war-torn country. It also endorsed an agreement with the United Kingdom on the transfer of sentenced convicts. The Cabinet, chaired by Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah, backed a resolution taken by an emergency Arab League meeting in Doha urging the Security Council to take all necessary measures immediately to protect civilians and stop the bloodbath, violence and crimes in Syria. The Arab League chief will travel to New York this week to discuss the Syria crisis with the UN Secretary-General and Security Council ambassadors, Cairo-based League officials said yesterday. Syrian rebels killed at least 80 army soldiers in a surge of attacks at the weekend, an opposition watchdog said. The European Union pushed for an end to a split with Russia over how to end the 15-month bloodshed. In talks in Saint Petersburg with Russian President Vladimir Putin, EU President Herman Van Rompuy said the EU and Russia might have some divergent assessments of the situation in Syria. But he said they agreed that implementing the troubled peace plan brokered by UN-Arab League envoy Kofi Annan was the only way forward in a situation that risks developing into full-scale civil war.
05 Jun 2012 Zawya Saudi Arabia Among ME Countries Targeted By New 'Flame' Cyber Virus Saudi Arabia has been named as one of a number of Middle Eastern countries that has been targeted by a newly discovered, highly sophisticated virus that has affected as many as 10 computer systems in the Kingdom, according to experts at Russian-based Internet security firm Kaspersky Labs. The virus, which has become known as "Flame," was detected on Sunday by malware experts at Kaspersky Labs during an investigation prompted by the UN's International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and while researching another unknown destructive virus code named Wiper, which has deleted data on a number of computers in Western Asia.
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Flame was reportedly designed to carry out espionage and sabotage and is able to use Bluetooth in devices to retrieve information and record keystrokes from computers, smartphones and tablets as well as connect itself to microphones and eavesdrop on audio conversations. The malware has been confirmed to be among the same type of malicious software as Stuxnet, which was discovered in July 2010 and targeted control systems of infrastructure projects made by German industrial firm Siemens. So far, the virus has been detected in computer systems predominately in Iran, with the highest number of systems infected on the globe at 189. Flame has also been detected in systems in the Palestinian West Bank, Egypt, Syria, the United Arab Emirates, Lebanon and some African nations. "While checking the systems in general, we have found that among the 10 systems affected in Saudi Arabia, the virus is not selecting a specific group to target. We have noticed that mainly private companies, individuals and academic institutions such as colleges and universities are among the infected," Vitaly Kamluk, chief malware expert at Kaspersky Labs in Moscow, said in a telephone interview. Arab News contacted a number of Saudi universities to find out if they were among the affected institutions. However, none of the Computer and Information Science (CIS) or IT departments in the universities contacted had any knowledge of the new virus. "This is the first thing we heard concerning the outbreak of a new cyber virus," said Manal Al-Farrag, chair of the CIS department at Prince Sultan University College for Women, adding that to her knowledge the college had not been affected but that she would immediately alert the IT department of the threat. She maintained that the Internet was vastly becoming a major tool in cyber warfare because it had become the most accessible way to gather information and added that Saudi universities might have been targeted because they contain a wealth of information on various research projects in the Kingdom. "Of course, if you look around you will see virtually everyone with their mobiles, tablets or other electronic devices in hand on a daily basis. Information is usually obtained through subscriptions to new services and through social networking sites, where you will be asked for your email and other personal data. Due to the creation of such a massive databank of information and the openness of the Internet, it has become the easiest means of attacking networks and stealing information," Al-Farrag explained. Experts are yet to be able to pinpoint where the virus originated from. According to Kamluk, his team has so far found that there is not only one source for the virus, but as many as 10 different control centers spread across the globe. He added that other techniques of finding Flame's creator had been used, such as paying close attention to language modules. "We have extracted some streaming text in order to look for language traces that could point to its origin. In this case, we found English language being used at a high level, meaning that the virus is coming from an origin with an advanced level of English, as we also found traces of slang being used," he said. Kamluk also said that upon learning of the Flame virus on Sunday, his team immediately added new signature updates to its security solutions center to protect the international community. "In efforts of eliminating the spread of this new type of malware, we are also sharing antivirus files and software with other companies and advising governmental agencies, individuals and companies to update their security solutions," Kamluk advised.
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He said that based on his team's analysis, the Flame malware had shown to be apprehensive and fearful of antivirus software and other security solutions. "As the creator does not want to attract attention, we have found that the malware itself actually ejects when confronted with security solutions," Kamluk said, adding that updated antivirus software could scare hackers away.
05 Jun 2012 KUNA FM Leaves for Saudi to Attend GCC Ministerial Meeting Deputy Prime Minister, Foreign Minister and Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs Sheikh Sabah Khalid Al-Hamad AlSabah due to leave for Saudi Arabia to attend the 123rd ministerial meeting of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states in Jeddah on Tuesday. Sheikh Sabah is heading a high ranking delegation that includes Director of the Deputy Premier's office Ambassador Sheikh Dr. Ahmad Nasser Al-Mohammad Al-Sabah, Director of the GCC Affairs Department Ambassador Humoud Yousef Al-Roudan as well as other senior figures of the Foreign Ministry.
05 Jun 2012 Arabian Business Grand Mosque Will Hold 1.5m Pilgrims After Expansion Saudi Arabia says its ongoing SAR80bn (US$21.33bn) expansion of Makkah's Grand Mosque will eventually allow the Islamic holy site to accommodate 1.5m worshippers, it was reported. Saudi ruler King Abdullah approved the upgrade, the largest in the mosques history, as part of the government's bid to improve facilities for the millions of pilgrims who perform Hajj and Umrah pilgrimages each year. A number of new projects have been implemented inside the mosque and in the masaa (the running area between Safa and Marwa mountains), helping pilgrims perform their religious rituals easily, Dr Abdul Rahman AlSudais, head of the Presidency of the Two Holy Mosques, was quoted as saying by Arab News. Some of the upgrades to the site include new security monitoring, garbage disposal systems, air conditioning and sunshades in courtyards around the mosque. Click here to find out more! The kingdoms government has spent around SAR40bn on acquiring properties where the expansion will take place, reported the newspaper. Islamic tourism is a huge earner for the oil-rich Gulf kingdom. According to a report by the Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities, domestic tourism alone in the country increased 13.5 percent last year, generating US$22bn. Tourism accounts for about 3.1 percent of the kingdom's gross domestic product and for about 7.2 percent in the kingdom's non-oil sector.
05 Jun 2012 Arabian Business Saudi Religious Cops Wrong over Mall Woman, Chief Admits
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The chief of Saudi Arabia's religious police has strongly criticized one of the force's volunteers for ordering a woman to leave a shopping mall as she was wearing nail polish, it was reported. The incident, which was widely broadcast in a YouTube video online, saw a member of the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice reprimand the unnamed female in a Riyadh shopping centre. "The world is manufacturing airplanes and we are still telling a woman 'leave the mall because you've got nail polish on your fingers'," Sheikh Abdullatif Abdel Aziz Al Sheikh told Arabic daily Al Watan, according to AFP. The video attracted more than 1m views online. Click here to view the video. Click here to find out more! "I was very disappointed by what I have seen. The matter has been exaggerated and negatively exploited," Al Sheikh added. The way the member of the commission behaved was not right, even if the girl had gone too far. He should have offered her advice and left instead of arguing with her and escalating." In the video, posted May 23, the woman can be heard telling the men in Arabic youre not the boss of me and that her manicured nails are none of [their] business, before security guards attempt to diffuse the situation. Saudi religious police have a fearsome reputation in the ultra conservative Gulf kingdom. Its officers patrol Saudis streets making sure shops are closed at prayer times, people are modestly dressed and strict gender segregation is adhered to. In March 2012, the head of the commission said that the force, which is responsible for upholding Islamic values among the population, was seeking to soften its image following lurid reports of car chases and harassment. Two months earlier, King Abdullah himself had replaced the chief of the commission, although no official reason was given.
05 Jun 2012 Emirates 24/7 Keep Your Door Open to Saudis Abroad: King Tells Envoys King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia, receiving new ambassadors to some other countries, told them to keep their door open to Saudis abroad and warned them that he would know who will not heed his advice. The King told the envoy that they must first feel that they represent the Kingdom and its people abroad before embarking on their assignment. I advise you to serve the Saudi peopleyou and I should consider ourselves as servants to the Saudi people, he told the envoys at his Riyadh palace. Keep your doors open to the peoplewe will always receive reports and will know who will shut his doors and who will open his doors to the peoplewhat matters is that you have been appointed to serve your people, religion and nationGod bless you, he said, according to the official media.
04 Jun 2012 Arab News Sharpest Rise in New Orders for 11 Months
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Saudi Arabias nonoil private sector economy continued to expand at a robust pace last month, says new report from the Saudi British Bank (SABB) and HSBC. May saw new business placed at Saudi Arabian nonoil private sector firms increase at a marked and accelerated rate the fastest in 11 months, according to the monthly report. Data showed that, while international sales continued to increase, the domestic market remained the predominant factor driving growth. SABB has published the results of the headline SABB HSBC Saudi Arabia Purchasing Managers Index (PMI) for May 2012. It reflects the economic performance of Saudi Arabian nonoil producing private sector companies through the monitoring of a number of variables, including output, orders, prices, stocks and employment. Demand for Saudi Arabian private sector goods and services remained strong in May, with new orders rising at the fastest rate for almost a year. Output and employment levels were increased over the month as a result, though rates of growth in each case were slightly slower than in April. Inevitably, the report said cost pressures remained strong as demand pressures filtered through into both the materials and labor markets. The nonoil private sector economy continued to expand at a robust pace during May. This was highlighted by the headline PMI posting at 60.4, unchanged since Aprils nine-month high and above the historical series trend. In line with a rise in new orders, KSA nonoil private sector companies expanded production levels and recruited additional staff during May. In both cases, however, growth was slightly weaker than during the previous survey period. Anecdotal evidence suggested that job creation, in number cases, also reflected expectations of increasing workloads in the coming months. Despite a rise in staffing capacities, backlogs of work increased for the eighth month in a row during May. The rate of growth was broadly unchanged since April, and faster than the series average. Slowing only slightly on Aprils series-record high, cost inflation facing Saudi Arabian nonoil private sector firms remained sharp in May. Both purchase prices and staff costs increased over the month, the former again at the faster rate. Inputs reported to be up in price included food, oil and steel. With demand remaining strong, the Kingdoms nonoil private sector firms were able to pass on at least part of the burden of higher costs to clients. Charge inflation rose to the strongest for 11 months. Further highlighting expectations for growth in the near term, businesses stepped up their purchasing activity and accumulated stocks of inputs at the sharpest rate for a year. Despite this, competition among vendors ensured that their delivery performance improved, with lead times shortening for a tenth successive month in May.
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04 Jun 2012 Arab News Saudi-German Joint Commission to Review Key Projects Finance Minister Ibrahim Al-Assaf and German Minister of Economics and Technology Philipp Rosler will co-chair the joint economic commission (JEC) meeting tomorrow. This will be the 18th meeting of the Saudi-German Joint Commission, which will primarily focus on ways and means to boost cooperation in various sectors, said German Ambassador Dieter W. Haller. Haller said high-level officials and top business leaders from the two countries would attend the meeting. The two sides will discuss cooperation in all major areas of the economy, including health care, fossil fuel and renewable energy, transportation, education and training, waste management and agriculture, the envoy added. Rosler is also scheduled to meet other Saudi officials during his stay in Riyadh. In addition, Rosler will visit some German investment and cooperation projects in the Saudi capital, said Haller, while giving details of the visit of the German minister. He said: Saudi Arabia is a very important partner for Germany and the ministerial visit is intended to develop, strengthen and intensify relations between the two countries. Saudi Arabia, which is a leading player in regional and global affairs, is also a member of the G20, he noted. Referring to the progressively growing relations between Riyadh and Berlin, Haller said: Clearly, German companies are increasingly becoming aware of the enormous potential offered by the booming and rapidly growing Saudi market. There has been a 21 percent increase in bilateral trade last year, and there is definitely room for further growth. Moreover, the current year has already seen some major new German investment projects in Saudi Arabia, notably Siemens new gas turbine plant in Dammam, the envoy noted while referring to the direct and indirect presence of German companies in the Kingdom. The ambassador said: The German companies have a lot to offer in the areas prioritized by the Saudi governments development strategy, like broadening the industrial base of the economy or achieving a new energy mix with a greater focus on renewable energy. To this end, he pointed out that the two sides have evinced keen interest to boost trade and investment relations further. Exports from Germany to Saudi Arabia amounted to SR 34 billion in 2011 compared to SR 29 billion last year, he added. German imports from Saudi Arabia totaled SR 4.5 billion in 2011 compared to SR 3.1 billion a year before. The first months of 2012 have seen an upswing in the trade figures. Along with this, there has also been a sharp rise in the number of Saudi businessmen and tourists visiting Germany of late. This is evident from the 100 percent increase in the number of visa applications processed by the German embassy in the first five months of the current year compared to the first five months a year before.
UAE (Top)
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05 Jun 2012 Khaleej Times UAE Tops in Efficiency of Govt Fiscal Policy The UAE has been named the worlds most efficient country in terms of governmental fiscal policy. The Global Competitiveness Report 2012 also ranks the nation seventh globally in public sector financial management efficiency. The report, issued by the International Institute of Management Development in Switzerland, cited the UAEs no-tax regime, efficient social security policy and pension scheme as well as the efficiency of the governmental budget in managing surpluses and spending as key reasons for its excellence over the United Kingdom, Japan, France and China. Shaikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai and UAE Minister of Finance, has attributed the latest accomplishment to the President, His Highness Shaikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and His Highness Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai. Shaikh Hamdan said the achievement underscores the vision and guidance of the UAE leadership and the adoption of effective fiscal policies that take into account the development and prosperity of citizens. The result clearly reflects the global recognition for the UAE governments efforts and is an acknowledgement of the countrys administrative and financial capability, Shaikh Hamdan said. He said by following the best practices, the UAE has been able to work more efficiently at less cost while sustaining its commitment with the guidance of the nations wise and visionary leadership to achieve social development. Shaikh Hamdan said the rapid growth and successful transition achieved by the UAE made it imperative to introduce necessary changes to the system of preparing the general budget, social security and other financial matters at the federal level. The Competitiveness Report said the governments efficiency in fiscal policy and financial management is a key factor in determining the level of competitiveness of countries. This is what reflected positively on the performance of the UAE which has taken a series of initiatives and legislation in this area. The report showed that the most prominent among the various efficient fiscal policy initiatives was the zero-based budgeting adopted by the UAE for the years 2011-2013. It has contributed in enhancing the efficiency of government spending and the preservation of public money. The UAE also had achieved the seventh place globally among 139 countries in the category of the least wasteful government spending in the world in 2010 in the Global Competitiveness Report issued by the World Economic Forum. In 2011, the UAE also ranked fifth among the world countries in the Level of Financial Stability in the index of the World Economic Forum for Financial Development. The country also received high marks in all areas of financial assessment for the current year.
05 Jun 2012 Khaleej Times UAE Keen to Build Bridges of Friendship, Says Khalifa
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forging balanced relations and in furthering economic, cultural and tourist exchange with brotherly and friendly countries, the President, His Highness Shaikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, affirmed on Monday. The President highlighted the vital role the UAE diplomatic missions play in assisting UAE citizens abroad and taking care of their affairs. Shaikh Khalifa received credentials of 12 new ambassadors of various nations on Monday at Al Dhiafa Palace in Abu Dhabi. Wam The UAE places its citizen at the top of its priorities and puts all its potentials at the disposal of serving the nation and its citizens, Shaikh Khalifa said when the new UAE ambassadors to Canada and Netherlands took the oath of office before him at Al Dhiafa Palace in Mushrif. Shaikh Khalifa also received credentials of 12 new ambassadors of sisterly and friendly countries in the presence of General Shaikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, and Shaikh Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Rulers Representative in the Western Region. The President instructed the two envoys to make every effort to promote the UAE standing at the international community. We see you trustworthy of this mission and we hope you would dedicate yourself to the service of the homeland and its citizens, Shaikh Khalifa said while addressing Mohammed Saif Al Shehi, UAE Ambassador to Canada, and Abdullah Hamdan Al Naqbi, UAE Ambassador to Netherlands. He also wished them success in their new role in a way that bolsters and furthers mutual interests. The two new ambassadors pledged before the President to work diligently and faithfully for energizing bonds of friendship and cooperation between the UAE and different countries of the world, reflecting the UAEs prominent status and its wise policy under the stewardship of President Khalifa. They also thanked the President for the valuable confidence he vested in them. Later, the President accepted letters of credence of five ambassadors of Maldives, Indonesia, Guinea, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Federal Republic of Somalia and seven non-resident ambassadors of Namibia, Ghana, Estonia, Nicaragua, Malawi, Burkina Faso and Cote dIvoire. Shaikh Khalifa welcomed the new ambassadors, wishing them success in their assignment of taking their countries relations with the UAE to new heights. The President also pledged the State would provide all assistance and help in the UAE to facilitate their job and elevate relations of cooperation between their countries and the UAE to better levels. Shaikh Khalifa asked the ambassadors to pass his best wishes to their respective heads of state for good health and happiness and more progress to their friendly countries and peoples. For their part, the ambassadors conveyed similar greetings and wishes to the President and people of UAE. They also expressed their delight at representing their countries in the UAE and admiration at the prudent policy the UAE is adopting under the leadership of Shaikh Khalifa, which they said had led the UAE to make remarkable achievements in all walks of life and earn reputable place worldwide. The two ceremonies were attended by a number of Shaikhs, ministers and top officials.
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05 Jun 2012
YEMEN (Top) 05 Jun 2012 Gulf Times, Reuters Yemen Troops, Tanks Push Towards Qaeda-Held Town
(U) Yemeni Defense Minister General Mohamed Nasser Ahmed (second left), who escaped an assassination attempt last month claimed by Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, oversees military operations against Al Qaeda in Loder, in southern Abyan province, on Sunday Hundreds of Yemeni troops backed by tanks advanced in a bid to retake a coastal town from Al Qaeda-linked fighters yesterday, residents said, part of a US-backed offensive in a country Washington sees as a frontline against Islamist militants. They are getting ready to fight, one resident, who declined to be named, said by telephone. Via text message, the head of the southern military zone asked people living in the area not to use the roads around Shaqra and two other towns controlled by militants. Shaqra lies on Yemens southern coast, along a major shipping route that is also the gateway for Somalis entering the country to fight alongside militants. The US and its Gulf allies are alarmed by deteriorating security in Yemen, where Al Qaeda-linked militants gained a foothold during a popular uprising against former president Ali Abdullah Saleh. While Saleh grappled with the protests that eventually toppled him, militants went on a rampage in the southern province of Abyan, gunning down officials, looting ammunition depots, and for the first time in history, seizing territory. The US, which helped engineer Salehs replacement by his deputy in February, is backing the offensive in the south and has stepped up its campaign of drone strike assassinations of alleged Al Qaeda members who it says plot attacks from Yemen. Yemeni troops have moved into the centre of Zinjibar, capital of Abyan province, where they fought militants on Sunday. They also clashed with Islamist fighters near the town of Jaar, some 30km to the north. Meanwhile, two suicide bombers targeting an army checkpoint in Loder, another town in Abyan, killed four people and wounded another, said the defense ministry. The bombers, one of whom was dressed as a woman, were also killed. The attack was targeting Colonel Mohamed Batreeh, the head of military intelligence in Abyan province, a local official said. He survived, but the innocent people were the ones who got killed.
UNCLASSIFIED//FOUO
The CENTCOM
05 Jun 2012
A third suicide bomber struck in the same place later on, blowing himself up when volunteer pro-government fighters told him to surrender. Militants retreated last month from Loder after encountering stiff resistance from fighters who have arranged themselves into popular committees to defend their land. Getting rid of those (Islamist fighters) needs time. They are like a plague, said Abu Saada, a tribesman fighting alongside the army in Abyan. While fighting raged in the south, at least 34 people were killed in clashes overnight between Sunni Muslim Salafis and Houthi Shia rebels in northern Yemen. A spokesman for the Salafis said Houthi fighters attacked them on Sunday night in the Kataf area of the northern Saada province. We have regained control of a mountain site in the Al Damaj area after heavy clashes with the Houthis during which 18 of the attackers were killed along with 16 of ours, the spokesman said yesterday. Dozens were wounded in the clashes, he said.
05 Jun 2012 Aljazeera The Battle for Southern Yemen By Hashem Ahelbarra The phone rang; it was the army public affairs officer who said "You can go with an escort to safer areas in Zinjibar". It was the culmination of weeks of talks with the army about letting an international media crew to an area that has always been off-limits. The attitude of the army leadership has dramatically changed. While I struggled in the past few years to get access to conflict zones, like Saada in the north, where a Shia rebellion is pressing up for religious and political rights, or Abyan and Shabwa where al-Qaeda has grown very strong running large swathes of land according to strict interpretation of Sharia law. We drove for about 15 minutes towards Zinjibar, at the first military checkpoint, we were told to return, they said the situation is very dangerous. Our escort, an army colonel, was very nervous about the trip but upon insisting they took us to a forward command post on the outskirts of Zinjibar. There I met with Colonel Amrani. Quite a character! He commands a unit that is tasked with storming the center of Zinjibar. "You media people, you like action and fireworks... Let's drive on my armored vehicle I will take you guys to a place where you can see my troops. Nobody will die but if you are to die today its fate and we cannot escape our fate."
UNCLASSIFIED//FOUO
The CENTCOM
05 Jun 2012
We chose to drive our bus which we hired in Aden... Poor old Esmet has never been to a conflict zone, wise and polite he was always silent. The only time I heard him speak was when we came under attack and he said "pray for your souls in case we shall die today". On the frontline, Colonel Amrani was explaining the delicate task his troops face, fighting an al-Qaeda very wellseasoned in street battles and guerilla warfare. Suddenly artillery and tanks unleashed their inferno... Bang, bang, bang! Colonel Amrani's soldiers came under sniper fire the rare calm turned into sniper bullets whizzing by and shells reverberating off an open desert area where the frontline has been blurred, with soldiers taking up positions, and just a dozens of meters away al-Qaeda fighters firing from their hideouts. A classic replay of former scenarios where a vastly superior army is trying to cope with fighters moving surreptitiously in small numbers... Their tactic is hit-and-run. There are two battles taking place simultaneously: the US and Yemeni army teaming against al-Qaeda and its affiliates. The US's main goal is to "eliminate high value targets" in military parlance it's the core al-Qaeda leadership which they consider a serious threat to its interests and national security, their signature weapon in this war is drone attacks. In the meantime, Yemeni troops are scrambling to show the world that they are more genuine about defeating al Qaeda than the regime of the former president Ali Abdullah Saleh. Our last destination was an army unit tasked with the fight in Jaar a major al-Qaeda stronghold. But the moment we were entering the gate we came under mortar attack. The commander in charge approached and said in polite terms "this is obviously the worst time for a commander to give an interview when his unit is being shelled". Off to Aden we drove.... Leaving behind a military campaign under way. From 2009, when al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula or AQAP was formed to 2011, when they gained control of many areas little we know as journalists... How was al-Qaeda able to turn into a major group with affiliates and secure towns, remains an enigma.
04 Jun 2012 Boston, AP Yemeni Journalist, Nobel Laureate to Visit Harvard H.E. Tawakkol Karman, a journalist and activist who galvanized Yemeni support for the Arab Spring uprisings last year, will speak at a Harvard Kennedy school forum. Karman will be the featured speaker Thursday in a talk co-sponsored by Harvard Kennedy School's Center for Public Leadership and Institute of Politics. She became the first Arab woman to win the Nobel Prize, is a cofounder of the human rights group Women Journalists Without Chains and a senior member of the opposition political party Al-Islah. She organized weekly protests in support of broad reforms in Yemen beginning in 2007. In 2011, she called for the ouster of Yemen President Ali Abdullah Saleh, and was arrested and detained twice in two months.
UNCLASSIFIED//FOUO
The CENTCOM
05 Jun 2012
05 Jun 2012 Times of Oman US Warns of 'Overlooked' Food Crisis in Yemen US government aid agency on Tuesday warned that a humanitarian crisis in conflict-ridden Yemen was being "overlooked" despite escalating to levels seen in the Horn of Africa and the Sahel. "It's often overlooked.... If you look at the global crises right now, Yemen doesn't get on that list and it really needs to be," Nancy Lindborg, a USAID assistant administrator, told AFP in Rome after a visit to the country. Five million people need urgent aid and five million more are facing food insecurity out of a population of 25 million people, Lindborg said, adding that the crisis had been "exacerbated" by conflict and a political transition. The depletion of water resources is a particularly acute problem, she said. "This is something the government must absolutely find the political will to organize. Otherwise they will be going off a cliff soon," she added. Lindborg was taking part in a joint visit with the Organization of Islamic Conference, the Gulf Cooperation Council and the Arab League. She said the US would be providing an additional $6.5 million (5.2 million euros) in humanitarian aid to Yemen, bringing its total forecast aid budget for this year to $118 million from $115 million last year. Deadly anti-regime protests swept Yemen last year, finally forcing president Ali Abdullah Saleh to step down in February after 33 years in power. The political crisis has left the country's economy in tatters and aggravated the dire security situation, with AlQaeda militants launching a wave of attacks in the mostly lawless south since Saleh's departure. Yemen is the poorest country in the Arabian peninsula, with more than 40 percent of people living below the poverty line.
05 Jun 2012 Daily Star Clashes in South Kill 23 Al-Qaeda Militants: Yemen Yemen's Defense Ministry says fierce clashes in the south have killed at least 23 Al-Qaeda militants. Tuesday's statement from the ministry says fighting between government troops, backed by heavy artillery, and the militants intensified overnight in the northern part of Zinjibar, the provincial capital of Abyan. The ministry says Pakistani and Somali nationals were among the slain militants.
UNCLASSIFIED//FOUO
The CENTCOM
05 Jun 2012
(U) Yemen's Defense Minister Major General Muhammad Nasir Ahmad (4th L) visits the front line during fights between army forces and al Qaeda-linked militants in the southern province of Abyan June 4, 2012. (REUTERS/Yemen's Defense Ministry) Also, military officials say clashes have erupted in the town of Jaar, another Al-Qaeda stronghold. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they are not authorized to speak to the media. On Monday, two suicide bombers tried to hit army barracks and checkpoints to the east of Zinjibar in an attempt to stop the military from advancing in the south.
04 Jun 2012 Washington Post, AP UN Draft Resolution Threatens Sanctions against Opponents of Yemens Move to Democracy A proposed U.N. Security Council resolution that circulated Monday supports efforts by Yemens president to advance the countrys transition to democracy and threatens non-military sanctions against those trying to undermine the countrys national unity government. Diplomats said the five veto-wielding council members the United States, Russia, China, Britain and France agreed on the text and circulated the draft to the 10 non-permanent members. Experts from the 15 council nations are expected to discuss the text Wednesday, the diplomats said, speaking on condition of anonymity because the draft has not been made public. Personal Post Last week, the U.N. envoy to Yemen, Jamal Benomar, told the council that despite President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadis strong leadership, the countrys transition is taking place against a backdrop of serious security concerns, an unprecedented humanitarian crisis and many unresolved conflicts. Benomar also said al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula continues to pose a major threat. Hadi was sworn in on Feb. 25 to replace longtime leader Ali Abdullah Saleh, following an uncontested election aimed at ending more than a year of political turmoil.
UNCLASSIFIED//FOUO
The CENTCOM
05 Jun 2012
The draft resolution, obtained by The Associated Press, condemns all terrorist and other attacks against civilians, oil, gas and electricity infrastructure and against the legitimate authorities. It demands the cessation of all actions aimed at undermining the government of national unity and the political transition. It singles out continued attacks on oil, gas and electricity infrastructure, interference with decisions relating to the restructuring of the armed and security forces, and obstruction of military and civilian appointments. The draft expresses the Security Councils readiness to consider further measures ... if such actions continue, including under Article 41 of the U.N. Charter which authorizes non-military sanctions such as freezing financial assets or travel bans. The countrys transition which envisions the completion of a constitution in late 2013 enabling general elections to take place in February 2014 is proving to be bumpy. Hadi is trying to restructure powerful security forces packed with Saleh loyalists, launch a national dialogue that includes the southern secessionist movement, and appease a restless religious minority in the north as well as disparate opposition groups in the heartland. The draft resolution expresses grave concern at the security situation and continuing terrorist attacks, including by al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula. It condemns the May 21 terrorist bombing of a military parade that killed 96 soldiers in the capital. The draft says the transition should focus on holding an all-inclusive National Dialogue Conference, restructuring the security and armed forces, improving justice, and constitutional and electoral reforms and the holding of general elections by February 2014. The National Dialogue must be transparent and include youth and womens groups and calls on all sectors of Yemeni society to participate actively and constructively in this process, the draft said. It also stresses the need for alleged human rights abuses to be investigated and prosecuted and reminds the Yemeni government and other actors of the need to release immediately those protesters unlawfully detained during the crisis.
05 Jun 2012 Yemen Post Military Committee Discusses Strategy to End Division of Armed, Security Forces The military committee on Monday started discussing a comprehensive strategy to restructure the Yemeni armed and security forces, which divided during the 2011 popular uprising, Saba reported. The strategy, suggested by the higher military academy, calls for putting an immediate end to the division of the armed and security systems, armed conflicts and rebellion movements as well as imposing the rule of law across the country, according to Saba. When the uprising escalated in early 2011, key military units defected to the mass anti-regime protests including the first armored division and since then they have been divided. At a meeting, the committee, formed under a power-transfer deal reached in November on military affairs and maintaining security and stability, discussed visions to restructure and modernize the armed and security systems including those for re-stationing units according to a national, integrated strategy in line with the defense policy of the republic of Yemen, Saba said.
UNCLASSIFIED//FOUO
The CENTCOM
05 Jun 2012
The discussion coincided with efforts by President Abdrabu Mansour Hadi to put an end to the rebellion of the third republican guard brigade. The commander of this brigade, Tariq Saleh, a nephew of ex-leader, has refused to give up his post under a presidential decree. The international community, especially the ten countries sponsoring the transition deal, has expressed concerns about this brigade, which ex-president Ali Abdullah Saleh wants to guard him. Saleh signed the deal, which saw him relinquish power after 33 years in office, in return for immunity from prosecution and half representation in the current power-sharing government. The UN envoy to Yemen Jamal Benomar has led mediations to convince the commander to give up, but his attempts went in vein. In the meantime, the committee plans to remove all security and armed disorders including roaming with guns in the country, especially in main cities, in five months, as the armed forces is continuing intensified battles against AlQaida militants in the south.
05 Jun 2012 Yemen Post Army Foils Al-Qaeda Attempt to Capture Town The Yemeni army has foiled an Al-Qaeda attempt to take control on Attaq, the capital of Shabwa governorate, after the army imposed a siege on Al-Qaeda militants in the neighboring governorate of Abyan, security sources affirmed on Monday. Chief of Attaq district, Abdullah Al-Sumnah, reiterated that security sources in collaboration with local tribesmen could strongly foiled an Al-Qaedas plot. He affirmed that Al-Qaeda operatives were planning to attack security checkpoints or infiltrating to the town through byways, asserting that tight security measures were taken to confront any Al-Qaeda potential raids. He pointed out that officials of the governorate coordinate with tribal leaders and dignitaries of the areas surrounding the district to fight Al-Qaeda and thwart its plans. Meanwhile, local sources in Abyan revealed that sharp disagreements emerged between the Republican Guard brigades positioned in Abyan and the governor of Abyan Jamal Al-Aqel regarding the Popular Resistance Committees that backed the army in fighting Al-Qaeda. Fears have been raised by the Republican Guard that these committees will untimely turn to militias that will demand to separate South Yemen from the north. The local sources said that forces of the Republican Guard led by son of the former president Ali Abdullah Saleh demanded to demobilize members of the Popular Resistance Committees and hand over the positions retaken again from Al-Qaeda to the Republican Guard. Meanwhile, a car bomb exploded, killing four tribesmen and wounding another of what is called the Popular Resistance Committees formed of tribesmen to back the army, the Defense Ministry said. Military sources said six jihadists died in clashes with troops, elsewhere in Abyan.
UNCLASSIFIED//FOUO
The CENTCOM
05 Jun 2012
The Yemeni army has foiled an Al-Qaeda attempt to take control on Attaq, the capital of Shabwa governorate, after the army imposed a siege on Al-Qaeda militants in the neighboring governorate of Abyan, security sources affirmed on Monday. Chief of Attaq district, Abdullah Al-Sumnah, reiterated that security sources in collaboration with local tribesmen could strongly foiled an Al-Qaedas plot. He affirmed that Al-Qaeda operatives were planning to attack security checkpoints or infiltrating to the town through byways, asserting that tight security measures were taken to confront any Al-Qaeda potential raids. He pointed out that officials of the governorate coordinate with tribal leaders and dignitaries of the areas surrounding the district to fight Al-Qaeda and thwart its plans. Meanwhile, local sources in Abyan revealed that sharp disagreements emerged between the Republican Guard brigades positioned in Abyan and the governor of Abyan Jamal Al-Aqel regarding the Popular Resistance Committees that backed the army in fighting Al-Qaeda. Fears have been raised by the Republican Guard that these committees will untimely turn to militias that will demand to separate South Yemen from the north. The local sources said that forces of the Republican Guard led by son of the former president Ali Abdullah Saleh demanded to demobilize members of the Popular Resistance Committees and hand over the positions retaken again from Al-Qaeda to the Republican Guard. Meanwhile, a car bomb exploded, killing four tribesmen and wounding another of what is called the Popular Resistance Committees formed of tribesmen to back the army, the Defense Ministry said. Military sources said six jihadists died in clashes with troops, elsewhere in Abyan.
05 Jun 2012 Yemen Post Curfew Imposed As Yemen Army Prepares to Retake Militant Strongholds The Yemeni army imposed a curfew in several areas in Abyan province coinciding with further intensified battles to retake key strongholds of Al-Qaida militants, the defense ministry reported on Monday. The areas were Alam-Zinjibar-Shuqra road, Arqoub road, Ahwar road, Jaheen-Amain, Harour-Jaar road, JaarZinjibar road and Khubar-Wadhi road. The curfew, which came into effect at 6:00 pm Monday, has been triggered by terrorist operations and aims to protect the locals, the ministry said. "The move has been taken after militants have started to use car bombs and explosive belts to target civilians and innocents at roads and populated areas," the ministry said in a statement. Earlier today, four pro-army fighters were killed when militant suicide bombers detonated their car at a checkpoint in the Lawder town. The tribal fighters have also thwarted another bombing attempt. The army has warned any car violates the curfew will be targeted until a further notice. In the meantime, military reinforcements have been deployed to recapture militant-held towns including Shuqra, which has been used as a sea route for arms supply to the militants.
UNCLASSIFIED//FOUO
The CENTCOM
05 Jun 2012
In mid-2011, Al-Qaida seized key towns including Zinjibar, the capital of Abyan, and the forces with direct support from locals and the US have recently stepped up the offensive to retake these towns. The forces have so far cleared militants from some areas including Lawder. Hundreds of militants including senior leaders have been killed and injured in Abyan and Shabwa in the past few months, amid the determination of the new government to eradicate terrorism from the country.
05 Jun 2012 Yemen Post Abyan Governor: Al-Qaeda Will Be Defeated Soon Governor of Abyan Jamal Al-Aqel has said that Ansar Alshari, an al-Qaeda-linked group, faces a very difficult situation, stressing that the Yemeni army makes remarkable progress against the militants who are pursued in their hideouts, as the governor said. In remarks to the military-run 26 September Newspaper, Al-Aqel highly appreciated tribal leaders and locals of Abyan, asserting that they strongly backed the army and that the battle in Abyan will be resolved soon. He promised thousands of internally displaced persons to back to their villages and homes soon, stressing that AlQaeda militants are defeated in several areas of Abyan. Local sources said on Monday that the army prepares for raiding Emsara, a southern coastal town from al Qaedalinked fighters. Yemeni troops have advanced into the centre the southern town of Zinjibar, the capital of Abyan province, where they fought on Sunday. Local sources affirmed that hundreds of troops backed by tanks were closing in on the militant-held town of Shaqra, some 50 km (30 miles) along the coast east of Zinjibar. They further indicated that Yemeni warplanes continued strikes against al-Qaeda positions in Zinjibar and Jaar. Meanwhile, a car bomb exploded, killing four tribesmen and wounding another of what is called the Popular Resistance Committees formed of tribesmen to back the army, the Defense Ministry said. Military sources said six jihadists died in clashes with troops, elsewhere in Abyan. According to an AFP tally compiled from official statements, at least 397 people have been killed, , including 291 AlQaeda fighters, 66 military personnel, 22 local militiamen and 18 civilians since the offensive began.
04 Jun 2012 Yemen Observer Gunmen Disappeared from Streets but Victims Increase Daily After signing the GCC initiative which stipulates that gunmen and militant barracks should evacuate the streets ; and after the continuous statements of the Military Committee reporting cleaning the streets of Sanaa from gunmen as a whole, people believed that Sanaa would become safe. Nevertheless, gunmen are still here and especially concentrated in the north-western areas of Sanaa keeping killing many Yemeni citizens in the streets with absolute silence from the government.
UNCLASSIFIED//FOUO
The CENTCOM
05 Jun 2012
Instead of withdrawing from streets implementing the GCC initiative and Security Council Resolution No. 2014, gunmen only moved from streets to the neighboring buildings and houses. Unfortunately, the Military Security Committee lied to the Yemeni population when they continued stating on TV screens that all parties withdrew their gunmen. Yemeni people believed that the situation would be secure again, when they watched the Security Committee cleaning the streets from barracks and mud cases, and reporting that all streets were clean from gunmen, but a few days later, we got stunned when we heard that the gunmen had just moved from streets to neighboring buildings and houses, said Mohammed Hasan. When the clashes between the sons of Sheikh Al-Ahmer and the governmental forces broke out in May 2011, many people left their homes for safer places. Then, the gunmen occupied their houses and used them as forts when fighting the governmental forces. Consequently, many houses and buildings were burglarized, burned and completely destroyed. One of the trading buildings owner, who asked to remain anonymous, stated that the gunmen in Al-Hasabah occupied his building once the inhabitants had left their apartments, and used it as forts or barracks, when I went to sheikh Hashim Al- Ahmer complaining about his gunmen and asking him to withdraw them from my building, he answered that the house of Sheikh Abdullah himself had been attacked and that I had to be patient as we were in the middle of a revolution, he said, adding ,I was used to receive about YR one million a month, and now my family and I, are renting an apartment. Jamal Mohammed, 28, stated that his family left their house to Al-Madinah Al-Sakania Saawan during the clashes, and when they returned to their house, they found it occupied by the gunmen of Sheikh Al-Ahmers sons, who refused to leave the house. Now, they are occupying our house, and we cannot get it back, he said. Many other families still cannot return to their homes either because they are destroyed or occupied by gunmen. Moreover, the existence of gunmen either in the streets or inside buildings, suggests fear, instability and insecurity. Tariq Mohammed, 35, ex-inhabitant of Al-Hasabah stated that he cannot bring his family back to Al-Hasabah as he doesnt feel comfortable having his children around when he knows the existence of armed gunmen evolving in the neighborhood. Daily Victims When people went out to the streets demanding to overthrow the regime, one of their demands was to abolish the power of tribal leaders who are said to be one of the most corrupt people in the country. However, the revolution increased their power and they increased their crimes against the people. A couple of weeks ago, a sheikh wanted to enter the Military Hospital in Sanaa with his arms. The Military soldiers stopped him from entering the building, he then left and came back with his gunmen who started shooting the Hospitals gate randomly, killing a motorcyclist and injuring four pedestrians. Najib Mahdi, 22, stated that he was at the gate of the hospital renting a motorcycle to head to the Change Square, when a car full of gunmen stopped and started shooting randomly before running away. Moreover, on May 30th, a boy was killed in the north of Sanaa when some gunmen from the Nihm tribe and AlAhmers sons started shooting each other over a land. Saif Khalid Hatem, 21, who was exiting his house, found himself in the middle of the battle and got shot just in front of the building. Said Al-Ezz Izzaddeen.
UNCLASSIFIED//FOUO
The CENTCOM
05 Jun 2012
Though people were very optimistic thinking that security would come back, peoples trust in the National Consensus Government and security bodies recently started declining dramatically.
04 Jun 2012 Yemen Observer Houthis Take Control of Three Positions in North Yemen, Claim Confiscating Saudi Weapons The Houthi rebels of the Shiite group said they took over Saudi weapons in renewed battles with armed Salafis in the area of Kittaf area in the province of Saada. A spokesperson in the media office of the Houthi rebels told the Yemen Observer over the phone that their rivals attacked - on June 2nd - affiliated Houthis in Kittaf, the district boarding the rich oil country, Saudi Arabia. The Houthis accused the Salafis to be baked by Saudi Arabia. Militias of the Saudi regime attacked our brothers in the Kittaf district; we were able to take three key positions and confiscate food rations as well as Saudi Arabian branded weapons. In 2009, Saudi Arabia had briefly attacked the Houthis claiming that they entered their borderline areas. The Houthis fought killed dozens of the Saudi Patrols in that battle. The source said that the Salafis had planted three landmines that were later detonated at a Salafi convoy, bombing three cars. The causalities in both parties could not be confirmed. Saudi ambulances were seen coming from the port of al-Boqa, which borders the Kingdom, to come rescue the injured Salafis, said the Houthi spokesperson. The battles in Kittaf have been raging sporadically in the area for three months now, and have recently intensified. The Houthi rebels, led by Abdulmalik al-Houthi, agreed last week to engage in the National Dialogue which is part of the GCC brokered deal, aimed at putting an end to the Yemeni political crisis.
04 Jun 2012 Yemen Observer Military Colonel: Dozens of Somalis Arrive in Yemen to Back Al-Qaeda Some 50 Somalis arrived in the al-Qaeda stronghold district of Jaar to back the militants against military troops surrounding the area. A military colonel in Abyan capital, Zinjubar, said on anonymity condition, that the Somalis came by boat to Jaar district, which is now surrounded by military reinforcements in order to recapture the area. Linked al-Qaeda militants are battling the governments troops in three different fronts including Zinjubar, the capital of the province, which fell to the militants hand last year amid the security vacuum. The military source said that a couple of military brigades have been around Zinjubar since last month in order to retake the area. But they could not make any progress fearing that they could be shot by al-Qaeda. They are using a hit-and-run tactic and guerrilla war. The same thing is happening in the neighboring Jaar district, The source said. The United States is baking the government troops in the offensive against al-Qaeda, setting up a drone campaign that has already killed a number of militants including leading al-Qaeda members.
UNCLASSIFIED//FOUO
The CENTCOM
05 Jun 2012
05 Jun 2012 Zawya At Least 16 Killed in Yemen Sunni-Shiite Clashes Yemen and Sunni Salafist extremists, according to claims by both sides on Tuesday. "Four of our men were killed and six others wounded in confrontations on Saturday with Salafist gunmen in AlQobaaf," east of the Houthi stronghold of Saada, said Houthi spokesman Mohammed Abdulsalam. Sorur al-Wadii, a spokesman for the Salafists said 12 Sunni militants were killed in three days of fighting, but claimed that his comrades killed 18 Houthi fighters. He blamed the Houthis for the clashes, saying the killings on "both sides were result of attacks by the Houthis who are trying to expand (their control) in the province of Hajja, Marib and Jawf." Abdulsalam accused the Sunni gunmen of receiving support from neighboring Saudi Arabia, a bastion of Salafism which is a puritanical approach to Islam. "We are in total control of the situation," he said, insisting that hostilities were started by a Salafist group "paid by Saudi Arabia." Dozens of people have been killed in sectarian clashes since last year between the rebels and Salafists trying to tighten their grip on the north, where government control has slackened since a political crisis in Sanaa. Yemen's mountainous north is a stronghold of the Houthis, who from 2004 fought six wars with central government forces before signing a truce in February 2010. The rebellion claimed thousands of lives.
05 Jun 2012 SABA Yemen, U.S. Discuss Preparations for Donors' Conference Foreign Minister Abu Bakr al-Qirbi discussed on Tuesday with U.S. ambassador to Yemen Gerald Firestein the ongoing preparations for the donors' conference to be held in Riyadh on June 26 and the role of Yemen Friends in it. They also touched upon a number of topics related to the latest developments at the Yemeni arena, as well as issues of common concern and cooperation aspects between the two friendly countries and ways of enhancing them.
05 Jun 2012 Reuters Northern Rebels Agree to Join Talks on Yemen's Future By Mohammed Ghobari and Mohammed Mukhashaf Shi'ite Muslim rebels who control much of northern Yemen will take part in talks aimed at resolving the country's multiple political conflicts, a Yemeni official involved in preparing for the negotiations said on Tuesday. The Houthi rebels have previously refused to take part in the national dialogue, an element of the Saudi- and U.S.backed transition deal that removed Yemen's long-time president from office this year in a bid to avert civil war.
UNCLASSIFIED//FOUO
The CENTCOM
05 Jun 2012
Washington and Riyadh want to see that transition stabilize the impoverished country, whose army is fighting al Qaeda-linked Islamists who took over parts of its south during last year's uprising against President Ali Abdullah Saleh. A member of the committee preparing for the talks, set for August in Cairo, said they will include prominent figures of a secessionist movement in southern Yemen, formerly a separate state whose 1990 union with the north collapsed into civil war four years later. The official said a Yemeni government delegation would next week meet the former president of south Yemen, Ali Nasser Mohammed, but that another prominent secessionist who also held that post, Ali Salem al-Beidh, was unlikely to take part. The United States accuses Iran of meddling in the south and the north of Yemen where the Houthi rebels control Saada province, on the border of the world's top oil exporter Saudi Arabia. In the southern province of Abyan, Yemeni troops killed at least 23 Islamist militants late on Monday, a military official said, as part of a campaign to retake southern towns that a group called Ansar al-Sharia seized more than a year ago. The official said the militants tried to infiltrate military positions in the south-western and northern edges of Zinjibar, the provincial capital, where central government troops and tribal militiamen are fighting the Islamists. The Ministry of Defense website said some of the dead militants were foreigners, including one Somali and one Pakistani. One soldier was killed and another injured in the clashes, the ministry said. The United States, which helped engineer Saleh's replacement by his deputy in February, is backing the offensive in the south and has stepped up its campaign of drone strike assassinations of alleged al Qaeda members who it says plot attacks from Yemen. Separately, at least 24 people were killed in clashes late on Monday in the north between Sunni Muslim Salafis and Houthis. A spokesman for the Salafis - who see Shi'ites as heretics and espouse a puritanical creed with many followers in Saudi Arabia - said Houthi fighters attacked them on Sunday night in the Kataf area of the northern Saada province. The spokesman, who identified himself as Abu Ismail, said nine of the dead were Salafis and 15 were Houthis. He said mediation efforts led by tribal elders to stop the fighting were under way. Central government forces tried and failed to crush Houthi rebels between 2004 and 2009.
EDITORIALS (Top) 05 Jun 2012 Arab Times GCC Must React to Pentagons Total War on Islam I used to believe that the Obama administration had a policy of reaching out to the worlds 1.6 billion Muslims in an effort to mend fences incinerated by George W. Bushs wars. I was gratified by his efforts because, like many Muslims and Arabs, I have been working to bridge the gap between east and west and in a small way have striven
UNCLASSIFIED//FOUO
The CENTCOM
05 Jun 2012
to bring all of the Prophet Ibrahims children together in peace; notably with my gift to Dubai the Al Farooq Omar Ibn Al Khattab Mosque and Centre that welcomes visitors of all faiths and the Khalaf Al Habtoor Leadership Center at Illinois College and through many other efforts. Just recently, I hosted one of the colleges students in Dubai his prize for coming second in an essay competition I sponsor and he later wrote that his negative preconceptions of Arabs had been replaced with admiration. The leaders and peoples of GCC states consider America to be a friendly nation with coinciding interests. So I was astonished and appalled to learn that US military commanders and officers had been attending a year-long course at the Joint Forces College in Virginia taught by Lt Col Matthew Dooley advocating Total war with Islam. This abomination that is surely a recipe for Armageddon was exposed by the media some weeks ago in a strangely low-key fashion. An American friend confirmed that mainline American news media barely made mention of this story; he expressed his concern that such gross ignorance about Islam should find its way into any classroom, civilian or military. It was given so little air-time and prominence in the press that, unlike the burning of Qurans in Afghanistan, it has escaped the radar of most Muslims too. I cant rid myself of the question is America merely posing as our friend while working against us? Dooley based his instruction on the premise that there is no such thing as moderate Islam. This barbaric ideology will no longer be tolerated, he said. Islam must change or we will facilitate its self-destruction. His solution included nuclear attacks on Makkah and Medinah without any regard for civilian lives. The course advertised on the Pentagons own website was cancelled but, shamefully, Dooley has retained his job. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Martin Dempsey called a press conference to slam the course as objectionable and academically irresponsible. However, it has since emerged that a similar course was being taught in another military college complete with anti-Islamic slides that were approved by former CIA Director James Woolsey and two three-star generals. Moreover, the FBI has been driven to vet its own course materials when it was discovered that counter-terrorism agents were being taught that American Muslims are likely to be terrorist sympathizers whose charitable donations equate to a funding mechanism for combat. FBI materials refer to the Prophet Mohammed (PBUH) as a cult leader. Likewise, as revealed by the New York Times, the New York Police Department (NYPD) has been infiltrating mosques and Muslim community centers. The departments officers were shown a documentary called The Third Jihad contending that the Muslim leadership in the US harbors ambitions to infiltrate and dominate in which the NYPDs chief participated. The film was also endorsed by NYC former mayor Rudolph Giuliani. In the Arab world weve become used to dismissing crimes perpetrated by US soldiers in Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan as mistakes that run counter to official US policy. Indeed, when I contacted a few of my American friends in the know to ask their views on the offensive courses, their responses were broadly the same, i.e. that any antiIslamic vein that may exist in the Pentagon, US intelligence services and law enforcement is the work of renegades and does not reflect the views of the US government. I am sure that my friends are sincere because as American nationals anything else is too horrendous to contemplate, but with my full respect to them, Im far from being convinced. I have a hard time accepting that those courses were unauthorized when they appeared on the Pentagon website, were taught in military schools, were signed-off by generals as well as a CIA director and are somewhat mirrored within the FBI and the NYPD. The idea that the US government knew nothing about this philosophy of hate sounds like the most fantastical fairy story. Its imperative that President Obama launches an investigation, apologizes to Muslims everywhere and explains to Americas predominately Muslim allies how such dangerous propaganda,
UNCLASSIFIED//FOUO
The CENTCOM
05 Jun 2012
designed to infect commanders with hatred for Muslims that would trickle down the ranks, went unchecked for so long. We need answers from the White House, the Pentagon and Congress. These latest exposes could merely constitute the tip of the iceberg. Just how deep does the contagion go? Soldiers who burn holy books, humiliate Muslim detainees or urinate on Muslim corpses can hardly be blamed if their officers are advocating using nukes to wipe Muslims from the face of the earth. In one of my recent columns titled Enough trusting others to keep us secure I quoted Hilary Clinton telling GCC foreign ministers that Americas security commitment to the people and the nations of the Gulf is rock-solid and unwavering. She advocated the strengthening of our mutual security, such as helping our militaries improve interoperability...and coordinate responses to crises. But how can we coordinate with a military whose officers are instructed to wage total war on Muslims? As Ive been urging time and time again, the GCC can only rely on itself for its military defenses. Surely, the neoconservatives Project for a New American Century paper, whose authors became leading figures in the Bush administration, should have raised suspicions as to Washingtons true geopolitical goals. How hard do we need to be hit on the head before we get the message? Given the turmoil in Arab countries ostensibly in pursuit of American-style democracy that was partly instigated by US Non-governmental organizations (NGOs), the potential for slicing apart of Iraq and Libya in the same way that Sudan has been split, and the possibly orchestrated divisions between Sunnis and Shiites (to the detriment of Sunnis), its possible that the US has a clandestine policy of inciting Arabs to destroy each other as a continuation of imperialist Britains Divide and Rule. After all, that was effective in tearing Syria, Jordan and Palestine asunder. If that is the case, then I suspect that the Al-Assad regime, Hezbollah, the Iraqi Badr Brigades, Al Sadr Militias, and even Al Maliki government are complicit in Americas plan of reducing numbers of Muslims by killing Sunnis; they may even be commissioned by the US to commit murder by proxy in accordance with Americas policy of hate towards Muslim, reflected by the invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq that resulted in up to one million deaths. If theyre not endorsed by the US, then why doesnt Washington act to prevent civilian massacres in Syria and lean on Hezbollahs military wing, an army outside state control, to relinquish its weapons? I sincerely hope Im wrong. For our own self-preservation, the GCC must unite, become a federation and build an independent, powerful military capability. We cant rely on fair-weather friends to protect our peoples. Sleeping while our enemies pretend to be our friends even as they plot our destruction is no longer an option. If our leaders fail to take Total war on Islam with the seriousness it deserves, we are doomed. To those attempting to put a lid on this disturbing news, I would quote Abraham Lincoln who once said, You can fool all of the people some of the time, and some of the people all of the time, but you cant fool all of the people all of the time. I, for one, refuse to be fooled any more.

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UNCLASSIFIED//FOUO

OSINT Phone #: 813.827.1441 - Email: CCJ2-OSINT@CENTCOM.SMIL.MIL UNCLASSIFIED//FOUO

OSINT Phone #: 813.827.1441 - Email: CCJ2-OSINT@CENTCOM.SMIL.MIL UNCLASSIFIED//FOUO

OSINT Phone #: 813.827.1441 - Email: CCJ2-OSINT@CENTCOM.SMIL.MIL UNCLASSIFIED//FOUO

OSINT Phone #: 813.827.1441 - Email: CCJ2-OSINT@CENTCOM.SMIL.MIL UNCLASSIFIED//FOUO

OSINT Phone #: 813.827.1441 - Email: CCJ2-OSINT@CENTCOM.SMIL.MIL UNCLASSIFIED//FOUO

OSINT Phone #: 813.827.1441 - Email: CCJ2-OSINT@CENTCOM.SMIL.MIL UNCLASSIFIED//FOUO

OSINT Phone #: 813.827.1441 - Email: CCJ2-OSINT@CENTCOM.SMIL.MIL UNCLASSIFIED//FOUO

OSINT Phone #: 813.827.1441 - Email: CCJ2-OSINT@CENTCOM.SMIL.MIL UNCLASSIFIED//FOUO

OSINT Phone #: 813.827.1441 - Email: CCJ2-OSINT@CENTCOM.SMIL.MIL UNCLASSIFIED//FOUO

OSINT Phone #: 813.827.1441 - Email: CCJ2-OSINT@CENTCOM.SMIL.MIL UNCLASSIFIED//FOUO

OSINT Phone #: 813.827.1441 - Email: CCJ2-OSINT@CENTCOM.SMIL.MIL UNCLASSIFIED//FOUO

OSINT Phone #: 813.827.1441 - Email: CCJ2-OSINT@CENTCOM.SMIL.MIL UNCLASSIFIED//FOUO

05 Jun 2012 Times of Oman Oman Going Solar

OSINT Phone #: 813.827.1441 - Email: CCJ2-OSINT@CENTCOM.SMIL.MIL UNCLASSIFIED//FOUO

OSINT Phone #: 813.827.1441 - Email: CCJ2-OSINT@CENTCOM.SMIL.MIL UNCLASSIFIED//FOUO

OSINT Phone #: 813.827.1441 - Email: CCJ2-OSINT@CENTCOM.SMIL.MIL UNCLASSIFIED//FOUO

OSINT Phone #: 813.827.1441 - Email: CCJ2-OSINT@CENTCOM.SMIL.MIL UNCLASSIFIED//FOUO

OSINT Phone #: 813.827.1441 - Email: CCJ2-OSINT@CENTCOM.SMIL.MIL UNCLASSIFIED//FOUO

OSINT Phone #: 813.827.1441 - Email: CCJ2-OSINT@CENTCOM.SMIL.MIL UNCLASSIFIED//FOUO

OSINT Phone #: 813.827.1441 - Email: CCJ2-OSINT@CENTCOM.SMIL.MIL UNCLASSIFIED//FOUO

OSINT Phone #: 813.827.1441 - Email: CCJ2-OSINT@CENTCOM.SMIL.MIL UNCLASSIFIED//FOUO

OSINT Phone #: 813.827.1441 - Email: CCJ2-OSINT@CENTCOM.SMIL.MIL UNCLASSIFIED//FOUO

OSINT Phone #: 813.827.1441 - Email: CCJ2-OSINT@CENTCOM.SMIL.MIL UNCLASSIFIED//FOUO

OSINT Phone #: 813.827.1441 - Email: CCJ2-OSINT@CENTCOM.SMIL.MIL UNCLASSIFIED//FOUO

OSINT Phone #: 813.827.1441 - Email: CCJ2-OSINT@CENTCOM.SMIL.MIL UNCLASSIFIED//FOUO

OSINT Phone #: 813.827.1441 - Email: CCJ2-OSINT@CENTCOM.SMIL.MIL UNCLASSIFIED//FOUO

OSINT Phone #: 813.827.1441 - Email: CCJ2-OSINT@CENTCOM.SMIL.MIL UNCLASSIFIED//FOUO

OSINT Phone #: 813.827.1441 - Email: CCJ2-OSINT@CENTCOM.SMIL.MIL UNCLASSIFIED//FOUO

OSINT Phone #: 813.827.1441 - Email: CCJ2-OSINT@CENTCOM.SMIL.MIL UNCLASSIFIED//FOUO

OSINT Phone #: 813.827.1441 - Email: CCJ2-OSINT@CENTCOM.SMIL.MIL UNCLASSIFIED//FOUO

OSINT Phone #: 813.827.1441 - Email: CCJ2-OSINT@CENTCOM.SMIL.MIL UNCLASSIFIED//FOUO

OSINT Phone #: 813.827.1441 - Email: CCJ2-OSINT@CENTCOM.SMIL.MIL UNCLASSIFIED//FOUO

OSINT Phone #: 813.827.1441 - Email: CCJ2-OSINT@CENTCOM.SMIL.MIL UNCLASSIFIED//FOUO

OSINT Phone #: 813.827.1441 - Email: CCJ2-OSINT@CENTCOM.SMIL.MIL UNCLASSIFIED//FOUO

OSINT Phone #: 813.827.1441 - Email: CCJ2-OSINT@CENTCOM.SMIL.MIL UNCLASSIFIED//FOUO

OSINT Phone #: 813.827.1441 - Email: CCJ2-OSINT@CENTCOM.SMIL.MIL UNCLASSIFIED//FOUO

OSINT Phone #: 813.827.1441 - Email: CCJ2-OSINT@CENTCOM.SMIL.MIL UNCLASSIFIED//FOUO

OSINT Phone #: 813.827.1441 - Email: CCJ2-OSINT@CENTCOM.SMIL.MIL UNCLASSIFIED//FOUO

OSINT Phone #: 813.827.1441 - Email: CCJ2-OSINT@CENTCOM.SMIL.MIL UNCLASSIFIED//FOUO

OSINT Phone #: 813.827.1441 - Email: CCJ2-OSINT@CENTCOM.SMIL.MIL UNCLASSIFIED//FOUO

OSINT Phone #: 813.827.1441 - Email: CCJ2-OSINT@CENTCOM.SMIL.MIL UNCLASSIFIED//FOUO

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