|
 |
CNN LIVE TODAY
Marta Colburn Discusses Terrorist Threat in Yemen
Aired December 25, 2001 - 17:16 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: American leaders are trying to get the U.S. military more actively involved in the chase for al Qaeda members in Yemen. The United States is asking Yemen to allow Marines to join the hunt for members of Osama bin Laden's al Qaeda network, that according to the Associated Press.
Here you see a map detailing Yemen's terrain and demographics. Last week Yemeni forces launched attacks against armed tribesmen in the remote hills of central and eastern Yemen.
And joining us now to talk more about terrorism on the Yemen front is Marta Colburn. She's the former director of the American Institute for Yemeni Studies.
Marta, thank you so much for joining us. How serious of a threat is there from Yemen involving al Qaeda or spinoffs from al Qaeda terrorist organizations?
MARTA COLBURN, COLBURN CONSULTING INTERNATIONAL: Well, there are individual -- there are individuals in Yemen that -- within the al Qaeda network. However, it's very different from Afghanistan in the sense that there's no central government support, as there was in the case of the Taliban supporting the al Qaeda network and Osama bin Laden.
In Yemen, the Yemeni government is taking very seriously the threat of international and domestic terrorism. Yemen has suffered greatly economically, politically, and socially from the incidents of terrorism, with the attention that it's gotten with the U.S.S. "Cole" and other activities that involved external terrorism as well as domestic terrorism, which Alib -- President Ali Abdullah Salih, the president of Yemen, is now categorizing -- is now categorizing terror -- kidnapping of foreigners as a form of terrorism that Yemen has suffered greatly from in the 1990s.
BLITZER: But Marta, isn't it true that there are big chunks of Yemen that are not necessarily under the control of the central government, especially along the Saudi border areas where the al Qaeda network presumably could gain a foothold, if they don't have it already?
COLBURN: Well, I -- there is that possibility, of course, but I think, as I mentioned earlier, the Yemeni government is taking very seriously this threat, and hopefully with assistance from the U.S. government and potentially other donors, they will be able to address that issue.
Now, I believe that there's not widespread popular support for terrorism in these areas. There is, of course, some support from a few leaders and others, but I don't think it's as widespread as one would imagine.
BLITZER: You remember, of course, the attack on the U.S.S. "Cole." We're looking at some videotape of that as well. Was the Yemeni government completely cooperative with the U.S. law enforcement in trying to find those responsible for that attack? The U.S., as you know, has linked al Qaeda to the attack.
COLBURN: Well, I -- that's a complex question, because I think there are those elements in the U.S. government that felt that the Yemenis were cooperating, at least to the extent of their ability to cooperate. However, the U.S. media picked up on other informants that were critical of Yemeni government cooperation with the U.S. investigation.
I think at that time the Yemenis did not take as seriously the international element to the U.S.S. Cole...
BLITZER: Do you -- do you anticipate...
(CROSSTALK)
BLITZER: ... excuse me for interrupting, but do you anticipate U.S. military personnel actively going into Yemen any time soon to help the Yemeni government uproot terrorist cells there?
COLBURN: I don't know for sure, but I do believe that there is very serious discussions going on right now between the Yemenis and the U.S. government about areas of security cooperation, as well as development cooperation, and I would hope that that would be part of a package of U.S. Yemeni agreement on how to move forward in the war on terrorism, is addressing the dire economic situation in Yemen, which really is a breeding ground for terrorism and recruiting of extremist elements in Yemeni society.
BLITZER: And finally, Marta, the fact that Osama bin Laden's father was born in Yemen, Osama bin Laden technically is a Yemeni, although he was born and raised in Saudi Arabia, how much support do you think he really has among the people of Yemen?
COLBURN: Well, I think there are many in Yemen, the Arab world, and the Islamic world that respond to the rhetoric of Osama bin Laden, the rhetoric which is critical of U.S. foreign policy in the region, U.S. foreign policy vis-a-vis Israel and the Palestinian issue, vis-a- vis U.S. troops in Saudi Arabia, and continuing sanctions against Iraq.
These are areas -- these are issues that are very close to the heart of many people in Yemen. However, I don't believe that there is widespread support for taking that rhetoric to a level of terrorism and creating more human suffering.
But again, there is -- there -- that resounds amongst the Yemeni population, that rhetoric.
BLITZER: OK, Marta Colburn, thank you so much for joining us on this Christmas Day. We appreciate your insight.
COLBURN: Thank you.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
|
|
|
|
|
