One of the first attacks about which Mujahid says he tipped off Yemeni intelligence officials was the bombing of a group of Spanish tourists visiting the Balqis Temple in Maarib, in July 2007.
BEFORE THE ATTACK
The suicide attack killed 10 people in total, including eight Spanish tourists.
“How could it be that I informed the National Security Bureau and the Political Security Organisation but the operation still took place?”
ATTACK ON SPANISH TOURISTS
ATTACK ON SPANISH TOURISTS
According to Mujahid, deputy head of the National Security Bureau Ammar Mohammad Abdullah Saleh, nephew of then-president Ali Abdullah Saleh was made aware of the attack well before it took place.
AN EXPLOSION ROCKS THE BALQIS TEMPLE
When Mujahid arrived at the scene just a few hours before the attack, and found Al-Qaeda leaders Nasir al-Wihayshi and Qasim al-Raymi, along with a car packed with explosives, he was shocked.
"I was reporting to [Yemeni intelligence officers] minute-by-minute. I said ‘the car is ready and Nasir al-Wihayshi and Abu Hurayra [Qasim al Raymi] are here now’."
BEFORE THE ATTACK
BEFORE THE ATTACK
Although Mujahid alleges that he stepped away from the Al-Qaeda leaders to once again call and inform his intelligence contacts, the suicide bombing was carried out unhindered a few hours later.
Al-Qaeda’s attack raised alarm bells for Western tourists in Yemen. Mujahid says he does not understand why it was not stopped.
"There was a tremendous ringing inside my head. My whole body was in a lot of pain. You try to realise what’s happened, but it’s impossible. I could hardly move."
AN EXPLOSION ROCKS THE BALQIS TEMPLE
ESTEVE MASO VILANOVA,
SPANISH TOURIST WHO SURVIVED THE ATTACK
VICTIMS RECALL THE ATTACK IN MAARIB
VICTIMS RECALL THE ATTACK IN MAARIB
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QUESTIONS RAISED
AN EXPLOSION ROCKS THE BALQIS TEMPLE
A raid in August 2007 by Yemeni security forces killed a few Al-Qaeda members allegedly responsible for the attack on the Spanish tourists. However, according to Mujahid, the men he says planned the operation, such as Nasir al-Wihayshi, Qasim al-Raymi and others, were not targeted.
Mujahid’s account also raises questions about the potential involvement of other figures in Yemeni intelligence. If his story is to be believed, his advance information about the attack was disregarded. Mujahid was also unable to answer how Al-Qaeda knew that Spanish tourists would be visiting the temple on that day.
“I was a member of Al-Qaeda and I tell you truthfully that no person from Al-Qaeda could have acquired this type of information. But who is managing tourism in Yemen?”
QUESTIONS RAISED