Yemen arrests two citizens designed ‘terrorists’ by Arab countries

CAIRO – 25 July 2017: Yemen authorities arrested two al-Qaeda-backed citizens who were designed by Arab countries as “terrorists” on Tuesday morning, Al-Arabyia news reported.

Security forces in Hadramout province arrested Ahmed Ali Ahmed Baraoud and Abdullah Mohammed Al-Yazidi in raid campaign launched to pursuit the blacklisted terrorists.

On Monday evening, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Bahrain added nine individuals and nine entities to their terrorist list. The Arab quartet on named three Qataris, three Yemenis, two Libyans and one Kuwaiti national have been added to the terrorist list on charges of promoting extremism and terrorist activities.

Baraoud was a manager of U.S. sanctioned Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP)’s charity Rahma Charitable Organization, which is also designed a terrorist entity.

In May 2016, Baraoud was detained by Yemeni security forces for providing support to AQAP. AQAP condemned the arrest of Ahmed Baraoud and advocated for his release.
In February 2014, Qatar’s Eid Charity sponsored an event in Hadramout province that featured Ahmed Baraoud, according to local media coverage of the event. Baraoud worked in establishing a school in Hadramout.

He was a member of AQAP’s Hadhrami Domestic Council while the group was in control of Mukalla in 2015. In June 2017, the US government identified the Hadhrami Domestic Council as a “prox[y] or cover organization” established by AQAP to “help govern territories it controls, and to manage issues such as administration, economics, security, and building relationships with citizens” in Yemen.

Abdullah Mohammed Al-Yazidi was detained by local Yemeni security forces for providing support to AQAP In May 2016. AQAP condemned the arrest of Al-Yazidi and advocated for his release.

Abdullah Al-Yazidi is the President of Al-Ihsan Charitable Society in Yemen (designated herein), a partner of US sanctioned AQAP charity Rahma Charitable Organization (also designated herein). In 2016, Qatar’s Eid Charity and Qatar Charity sponsored projects in Hadramout province in Yemen alongside Al-Ihsan Charitable Society and Abdullah Al-Yazidi, according to local media reporting on the projects.

In a statement, the charity condemned Yazidi's detention, saying that the detenion could lead to chaos ans instability in the city.

Abdullah Al-Yazidi was a member of AQAP’s Hadhrami Domestic Council, while the group was in control of Mukalla, Yemen in 2015. In June 2017, the U.S. government identified the Hadhrami Domestic Council as a “prox[y] or cover organization” established by AQAP to “help govern territories it controls, and to manage issues such as administration, economics, security, and building relationships with citizens” in Yemen.

The Hadhrami Domestic Council was established by AQAP in Mukalla, Yemen in April 2015 after AQAP took control of the city that same month, and prior to Mukalla’s liberation by Yemeni and Saudi-led coalition forces in mid-2016.

Abdullah Al-Yazidi is a founding member of the Global Anti-Aggression Campaign, led by UN and U.S. sanctioned Qatari al-Qaida financier Abd al-Rahman bin Umayr Al-Nuaimi and other sanctioned Al-Qaida facilitators.