USA: State Department says new video posted on Islamist website shows sign of change at the top of al Qaeda parent group

Record ID: 190084

  • Title: USA: State Department says new video posted on Islamist website shows sign of change at the top of al Qaeda parent group
  • Date: 16th April 2014
  • Summary: WASHINGTON, D.C., UNITED STATES (APRIL 16, 2014) (STATE TV) WIDESHOT U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT SPOKESWOMAN MARIE HARF ENTERING BRIEFING ROOM (SOUNDBITE) (English) U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT SPOKESWOMAN MARIE HARF, IN AN EXCHANGE WITH REPORTERS, SAYING: HARF: "A couple points on the video. Look, the first is that it's in no way breaking news that AQAP (Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula) is a significant threat to the United States, the people of Yemen, to other people in the region and around the world. I mean, since 2009, we see them try to attack the homeland with several attempts, and they've clearly carried out a number of attacks inside Yemen. We work very closely with the government of Yemen to arrest operatives, to put pressure on AQAP. A couple of other--, I think this video actually was fairly unusual in some ways, for AQAP: it highlights the leader, Mr. Wuhaishi, who I think--, there--, a couple of interesting points. One of which is that in addition to being the head of AQAP, he's the number two, now, of al Qaeda core, which speaks to some of the points we've talked about with al Qaeda core -- that they're increasingly decentralized, as we've had success in Afghanistan and Pakistan. They've really looked their affiliates, which is why we've been increasingly concerned about their affiliates. So, I think that speaks to some of the things we've talked about--, about al Qaeda in general. REPORTER: What about, what is this--, the fact that there were like a hundred operatives out in plain sight, pretty much. What does that video tell you about how much stronger and--, and emboldened AQAP is right now? HARF: You know, I don't think we can make generalizations about their strength based on one video, quite frankly. We know they've been gaining in strength. We have been increasingly concerned about them, as I said, since 2009. That's why we've worked increasingly to counter the threat from AQAP in a variety of different ways. So, I don't think this increases our concern because, quite frankly, our concern was already incredibly high. If folks remember as recently as, I think, August of last year, we actually temporarily suspended operations at our embassy in Sanaa based, again, on a credible threat stemming from AQAP. So it's something we have taken very seriously for a very long time."
  • Embargoed: 1st May 2014 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Usa
  • Country: USA
  • Topics: Conflict,International Relations,Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA5VYM7V5Y9UVY2P27XN2YJOJ54
  • Story Text: The U.S. State Department on Wednesday (April 16) dismissed a video in which the the leader of the al Qaeda wing in Yemen is seen with several masked men celebrating a mass jailbreak of fighters.
    The authenticity of the video, which was dated March 2014 and posted on a website used by Islamists, could not be verified independently.
    In the 15-minute video, a man identified as the the leader of Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), Nasser al-Wuhaishi, vows to attack the United States.
    "The Crusader enemy, dear brothers, still possesses cards which he moves around. We have to remember that we are always fighting the biggest enemy," al-Wuhaishi says.
    U.S. State Department spokeswoman Marie Harf said the video is "in no way breaking news" but noted that it points to an wider role for AQAP leader Nasser al-Wuhaishi as the number two leader within parent group al Qaeda core.
    "He's the number two, now, of al Qaeda core, which speaks to some of the points we've talked about with al Qaeda core -- that they're increasingly decentralized," Harf said.
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