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that Al Qaeda is truly behind these attacks. One of the mourners said "if they had
accused the State of being involved in what happened, this may have been an acceptable
accusation [but not the US and Israel]."
Attempting to uncover the true identity of who is behind these suicide attacks, Asharq
Al-Awsat learned from informed sources in al-Jawf governorate that this attack was
nothing more than a retaliatory attack by Al Qaeda against the Shiite Huthis, after Huthi
rebels seized 2 Al Qaeda members approximately one month ago and handed them over
to the government.
Several sources revealed to Asharq Al-Awsat that the Al Qaeda organization in al-Jawf
issued a statement strongly criticizing the Huthis for handing over their members to the
government for trial, promising retaliation. A Yemeni security source in al-Jawf also
informed Asharq Al-Awsat that the two suicide bombs had the hallmarks of an Al Qaeda
operation. This security official, who spoke to Asharq Al-Awsat on the condition of
anonymity, revealed the presence of a secret war between the Shiite Huthi rebels and
the Salafist Al Qaeda organization. He gave examples of this war, including the Al Qaeda
statement mentioned above, a number of Huthi statements that have criticized Al Qaeda
and accused it of having US-backing. The security official also revealed that the Huthis
had also attacked Al Qaeda members at mosques.
Dr. Abdullah al-Faqih, a professor of political science at Sanaa University informed
Asharq Al-Awsat that he also believes that Al Qaeda were behind the two recent suicide
bombings, saying that "the method and style [of the bombings] are those of Al Qaeda,
for I have never heard a Yemeni tribe taking revenge via a suicide attack." As for the
Huthis accusing the US and Israel of being responsible for this, Dr. al-Faqih said that "the
Huthis do not want to be seen as fighting on the same side with America against Al
Qaeda." He also said that it is not in the interests of the Huthis at the present time to
accuse the government of being responsible for these attacks "in order not to affect the
Qatari peace efforts…and they *also+ fear this conflict being given sectarian dimensions if
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