YemenWatch: Sunday February 6, 2011

Ten AQAP suspects are on trial for various activities, including blowing up a Canadian company's office.


A security officer in Hadramout province missed an assassination attempt, possibly by AQAP.  He may be part of Yemeni intelligence.

Earlier this week a Yemeni journalist, allegedly with ties to AQAP, was given a release order.  He's been called a "terrorism expert" and Reporters Without Borders has been following his case.  NewsYemen is reporting that President Obama is concerned over the release.  I'm concerned too.  I'll admit that I don't know a lot about this journalist, but apparently one of the main problems is that he met with Al-Awlaki in 2009, and is called a "sympathizer."  There have been a few other journalists who have met with terrorists, like Osama Bin Laden.  But they aren't arrested and called sympathizers.  Of course, they are also white.

About 20% of the Yemenis in Egypt (mostly students) have been evacuated by Yemenia airlines.

Eight students were arrested, prompting a sit-in for their release, which came on Saturday.

Saleh saw some of the protests from a helicopter.

The JMP plans to hold more protests and may even suspend their memberships in parliament.  On Saturday they officially received an initiative from Saleh, which may help in ending the ongoing election mess, but the JMP says protests will continue.  Some analysts are saying that the concessions Saleh has proposed may backfire because he may not be able to follow through, which is really going to upset people.  Obama is calling for both sides to play nice.

Yemen is trying to reach several Millennium Development Goals by 2015.  Although, if the chaos keeps up, that's not likely.

The historic parts of Sana'a city are being threatened by new development, negligence, and etc.  Yemen-UNESCO is very concerned.

More information on the worker fired from the Spanish Embassy, who claims it was without cause.

Edit:  More information on the current unrest in Yemen and other countries.

Edit: Added info and commentary on the arrested journalist.