Recent disclosures from Yemen’s security agencies have shed light on covert American operations orchestrated to undermine the nation’s economy and vital sectors.
The revelations stem from the confession of Jameel al-Faqih, a key operative within an American-Israeli espionage network. Al-Faqih’s admissions detail a decade-long mission focused on gathering intelligence on Yemen’s economic landscape, including its central bank, commercial banks, currency, and governmental financial institutions.
The Beginnings
Al-Faqih revealed his recruitment by American intelligence in 2009, under the supervision of Officer Bryan McRath, tasked with economic affairs at the US Embassy. His role primarily involved collating economic sector information, a task he diligently pursued for twelve years during his tenure at the embassy.
Espionage Activities
His espionage efforts extended beyond financial institutions to encompass ministries, customs, taxation, and trade-related bodies. Al-Faqih’s duties included supplying the American intelligence community with insights into Yemen’s industrial and trade sectors, often through the recruitment of informants within government agencies.
Targets and Objectives
Critical to his mission were insights into the functioning of Yemen’s central bank, including its cash reserves. After the closure of the US Embassy in Sana’a in 2015, Al-Faqih was redirected to gather intelligence on the revenues of the Sana’a government and its budgetary processes.
Focus on Economic Impact
Al-Faqih’s confession also revealed a strategic emphasis on undermining Yemen’s national currency, along with efforts to prevent the circulation of illegally printed currency, destabilizing the financial market. American directives also aimed to gauge the effects of relocating the central bank’s operations from Sana’a to Aden, forecasting economic repercussions and assessing currency exchange rates and basic service provision.
Collaborative Efforts
The espionage network, comprising American and Israeli elements, strategically recruited economists, oil and trade tycoons, linking them to intelligence services. Their collective mission sought to serve American and Israeli interests by supplying hostile intelligence agencies with classified reports on Yemen’s economic sectors.
Impact on Policy
American intelligence leaned on its agents to understand and subvert measures preventing the smuggling of hard currency, intending to introduce policies that would further weaken Yemen’s national currency against foreign currencies.
Closing Statements
Al-Faqih’s disclosures highlight his pivotal role as a conduit for American intelligence, offering insights into Yemen’s economic sphere. These revelations underscore a broader pattern of foreign intervention aimed at subverting Yemen’s economic sovereignty and perpetuating the exploitation of its resources.
