Dramatic new claims have been made that a Pakistani explosives expert was responsible for manufacturing the bomb that was used by a suicide bomber in a failed attempt to assassinate Prince Muhammad Bin Naif Bin Abdul Aziz, Assistant Interior Minister for Security Affairs at his palace in Jeddah last August. Talking to Okaz, Ahmad Al-Maseeri, Governor of Abyan in Yemen, said that the man who made the explosive capsule, used by Abdullah Hasan Al-Asiri in his attempt to kill the Prince, was a Pakistani. The Pakistani expert was killed sometime last year, after being blown up by his own explosive device, said Al-Maseeri. Al-Maseeri claimed that the man had trained many members of Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula on ways to build and detonate explosive devices. “The Pakistani expert was highly skilled in making explosive devices and had been teaching and training some individuals in Al-Qaeda on how to make and use explosives.” Al-Maseeri said that Yemeni security forces had found Al-Qaeda hideouts which contained documents on ways to make and use explosive devices. He said Yemeni forces had found explosives and explosive belts similar to the substances found in the explosive capsule used by Al-Asiri in his attempt to kill Prince Muhammad. Death of the expert Al-Maseeri also claimed that the Pakistani had died sometime last year. He said it was before an air raid carried out by the Yemeni Air Force, which targeted a training camp of Al-Qaeda in the Al-Ma'jalah area on Dec. 17, 2009, in which 24 men including two Saudis were killed. He said Yemeni forces believe that the Pakistani expert was killed by an explosive charge he was making. It is also believed that Al-Qaeda had hidden the news of his death. He said it was uncertain at this stage whether the Pakistani expert was killed in a house that exploded in the south of Saada which resulted in the death of three wanted Saudis – Muhammad Al-Rashed, Fahd Al-Jittaili and Sultan Al-Qahtani, who were reported dead on Sep. 14, 2009. However, it was certain that the three of them were implicated in the failed assassination attempt against Prince Muhammad. Poisons expert Al-Maseeri also claimed that another Pakistani, also a supporter of Al-Qaeda, had been involved in assassination operations using poisonous gases and other lethal substances. He said Al-Qaeda was relying on these two Pakistani experts, to prepare and train elements from Al-Qaeda on how to carry out operations using explosives and poisonous substances. He said Al-Qaeda started developing smaller explosive devices, instead of using other methods like rigged vehicles. This was to enable them to cross checkpoints relatively unnoticed. They were badly in need of experts to help them build bombs that could not be detected easily. Al-Maseeri added that he did not have any documented information about the training of the Nigerian Omar Al-Farouk Abdul Muttalib, at the Al-Qaeda camp in Abyan, who tried to blow up an American passenger plane in December last year. However, he claimed that Al-Qaeda had been planning to carry out retaliatory attacks after suffering setbacks in Yemen. The death of the Pakistani explosives expert is a reminder of another explosives expert, Medhat Mursi Al-Sayyed, also known as Abu Khabab Al-Misri, who was captured in an American raid on a Pakistani border tribal area in January 2006. There had been a $5 million award for his arrest. Sources said that Al-Asiri, the man who tried to assassinate Prince Muhammad, had received training for months at an Al-Qaeda camp in Yemen on explosives and poisonous substances, along with other Saudis and other nationals from the Arabian Peninsula. This was confirmed by the Saudi Ministry of Interior when it published the name of Al-Asiri on its list of 85 wanted militants last February. The ministry's statement indicated that Al-Asiri was trained in Yemen to use various lethal weapons and poisonous and explosive substances. He had also joined a terrorist cell tasked with assassinations and targeting oil installations. Al-Qaeda Saudis The Governor of Abyan said there were 18 Saudis among more than 100 Al-Qaeda members included in the Saudi and Yemeni list of wanted terrorists. These men were hiding in mountainous areas in the triangle of Shabwa, Marib and Abyan. He said these men were constantly on the move to avoid being caught. He pointed out that the presence of the security forces had forced them to stay in the mountainous areas. Medicines and financing Al-Maseeri said a number of Al-Qaeda elements were seen recently fetching medicine and other medical equipment for their injured colleagues, according to information provided by pharmacists. The governor admitted that Al-Qaeda had been able to get aid with the help of non-Yemenis in the organization. The aid was brought in four months ago, it had been determined by their intelligence. Internationally wanted The governor emphasized that the Yemeni authorities were determined to root out all Al-Qaeda elements from their territory. The Yemeni Air Force was constantly watching suspicious locations. He said the Abyan tribes have supported efforts of the security forces and have rejected the presence of the terrorists, labeling them as “evil”. He said many of the Al-Qaeda men were wanted by both regional and international authorities. Burial of its members Al-Maseeri said that although Al-Qaeda bury their people immediately when they die, the security forces had recognized two Saudis killed in the strikes at Al-Maja'la where the Yemeni Abu Saleh Al-Kazami was killed on Dec. 17, 2009. He also confirmed the killing of the military field commander of the organization, Qassim Al-Rimi, in the Al-Ajachir operation located between Saada and Jouf.
