Sanaa, Asharq Al-Awsat – Speaking exclusively to Asharq Al-Awsat, Director-General of Public Relations at Yemen’s Interior Ministry, Brigadier General Mohammed al-Qaedi, revealed that the investigation into the assassination of Saudi diplomat Khalid Al-Enazi, an official at the Saudi military attaché office in Sanaa, is still ongoing. Corporal Khalid Al-Enazi was shot dead last week by gunmen dressed in Yemen Central Security uninforms, along with his Yemeni bodyguard Jalal Mubrak Hadi Shaban.
The Yemeni Interior Ministry spokesman informed Asharq Al-Awsat that “the Interior Ministry, along with the security apparatus, are continuing to investigate the assassination operation and, God willing, we will reach the criminals and perpetrators who tried, via this assassination, to despoil the friendly relations between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Republic of Yemen.”
He stressed that the government and people of Yemen were hurt by the assassination of the Saudi diplomat and his Yemeni bodyguard, adding “the brothers in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia have stood with Yemen in the worst circumstance” adding “the assassination of the Saudi diplomat was a shock for everybody in Yemeni society.”
The Yemeni official refused to speculate on who could be responsible for this crime until the investigations have been completed, saying “the security apparatus are conducting their operations to the best of their abilities and the present activities of terrorist organizations is proof that they are present.”
Al-Qaedi added “it is as if they [the terrorists] wants to say that we are present and we are carrying out assassinations in the capital itself, as well as other cities.”
However he stressed that “the state, government and ministries in particular have a zero tolerance policy towards these terrorist groups that undermine the security and stability of the homeland.”
He confirmed that when such groups target a Saudi diplomat, this also represents a targeting of the Yemeni state, and its relations with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Brigadier General al-Qaedi also did not role out domestic political forces being behind such security transgressions, saying “in light of a lack of understanding of democracy, and in the presence of political conspiracies, such talk is not out of the question.”
He said “perhaps some parties wanted to harm a certain party or the government but did not understand that this would harm the homeland and society.”
Gulf Cooperation Council [GCC] Secretary-General, Dr. Abdullatif Bin Rashid Al-Zayani condemned the assassination of Corporal Khalid Al-Enazi last week, describing this as a “terrorist attack” which contravenes the principles of Islam, diplomatic relations and international laws.
The GCC Secretary-General expressed his confidence that the Yemeni security authorities would be able to uncover the motive and perpetrators of this crime.