Gulf of Aden Security Review - October 27, 2009

Yemen: Yemeni authorities confiscated a boatload of Iranian-made weapons and arrested members of the vessel's crew; the trial of ten members from Bani Husheish began Tuesday; public and private hospitals in Yemen are turning away H1N1 cases

Horn of Africa: Somalia's Transitional Federal Government established a military court to prosecute soldiers; Uganda and Burundi have increased security efforts in response to al-Shabaab's threats; al-Shabaab has stated that it will only enter mediation efforts based on shari'a; a British couple and their yacht have disappeared in the Gulf of Aden

Yemen Security Brief  

• Local Yemeni officials report that a boatload of Iranian-made weapons, which were mainly anti-tank shells, was seized off the coast near the village of Midi in Hajjah province. Authorities arrested five Iranians and an Indian, who were members of the vessel's crew.[1]

• The trial of ten members of the Bani Husheish gang began on Tuesday. The prosecution alleged that the accused had plans to "kill, bomb, and carry out sabotage acts," in addition to having the necessary equipment to do such – arms, ammunitions, rockets, and grenades. This month, twelve al-Houthi rebels were sentences to death, and fifteen others received jail time for their crimes.[2]

• Both public and private hospitals in Yemen are turning away cases of H1N1. Al-Thawra is the only hospital admitting patients, who are then put into isolation. Yemeni doctors report that the Ministry of Public Health and Population has not provided the necessary safety precautions for hospital staff in contact with the virus.[3]

Horn of Africa Security Brief

• Somalia's Transitional Federal Government has established a military court. The Acting Prime Minister, Fisheries Minister Abdirahim Ibbi, said that this court would serve as a "warning" to those soldiers who commit crimes. The case of eight soldiers who set up an illegal checkpoint to extort money from civilians will be the first case tried in the court.[4]

• In response to al-Shabaab's threats, Burundi and Uganda have increased security are closely monitoring Somali communities within their borders. Al-Shabaab has also threatened to attack Kenya, which hosts over 300,000 Somalis in its refugee camps.[5]

• Al-Shabaab has set conditions for any reconciliation efforts in Somalia. Sheikh Ali Mohamud Rage, the spokesman of al-Shabaab, stated that mediation efforts should be made on the basis of shari'a law.  "We shall accept who ever wants to solve all misunderstanding through the Sharia law," said Sheikh Ali.[6]

• A British couple sailing their yacht from the Seychelles towards Tanzania has been missing since their emergency beacon went off on Friday. Recently, Somali pirates have been carrying out attacks on ship further and further out to sea.[7]