President Saleh blames insurgency on foreign intelligence

SANA’A,(Saba) – President Ali Abdullah Saleh said Saturday that modus operandi of foreign intelligence mastermind of rebellion in northern Yemen was found, debunking the theory of sectarian strife or rivalry for power. “This is never a sectarian strife nor a rivalry for power. It is a work of alien intelligence,” said the President addressing veterans of Majlisu Shaab al-Taaseesi, the body that elected him to power on 17 July 1978,as they came to congratulate him on his 26 years in power. “It is not a rivalry for power. I have devoted myself to this nation, chose freedom and democracy and peaceful taking of power.” “What is happening in a patch between 3-4 kms, in Saada, is but a collaboration,not incited by sectarian thought. It is a work of foreign intelligence,”the President reiterated. He said that fingerprints of intelligence organizations beyond the region were found. “I point my finger directly to foreign forces”. The President owed it to God that “the plot surfaced prematurely” to beeasily quelled “otherwise the strife would be raging on a larger-scale”. He noted the government didn’t want bloodshed and civilian causalities to happen but that was prompted by the determined perpetration of “foreign intelligence.” But he averred that “we will never accept (a hostile ) foreigner on our soil whatever the sacrifices might be. We will not surrender”. At the beginning of his address, President Saleh had said he believes the 17 July 1978 “marks a turning-point in the history of our nation”. He said that electing him to take power by the then-formative assembly”consisting of an elite of scholars, Sheikhs and high-profile figures”was a concrete embodiment of “Shura”. “In retrospect of the one thousand years before the revolution, no president took power on (a win of) elections. The road to power was coups exceptfor the 26 September and 14 October events which were all public revolutions.” The President added: “the grace of God that we came to power at the electing of state institutions, God willing this tradition of peaceful power-taking will continue for all forces of the nation. This is a great achievement for the nation”. President Saleh applauded the allegiance of the political forces led by the Islah party and the Socialist party in quelling secessionism in 1994. He added the environment was conducive to further participation of all forces in the service of the nation and no political force will be underminesas long as it acts and participate in politics. He hoped the opposition parties “heed our opinions seriously, just likewe do consider theirs seriously.” “We are one team,” the President said. The visitors July 17 commemorates the day when the nation ever began to know the principles of participatory politics, respect of women rightsand modernization of economy. AA/KMSABA