Sanaa responds to US remarks on 'resounding' spy network scandal
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The Yemeni Foreign Ministry deems the statements as a "blatant interference" in the internal affairs of Yemen.
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In this Sunday, May 22, 2016 file photo, a man holds Yemen's flag during a ceremony to commemorate the 26th anniversary of Yemen's reunification, in Sanaa, Yemen. (AP)
The Yemeni Foreign Ministry in Sanaa strongly condemned on Tuesday the statements issued by the US State Department and several other countries regarding the arrest of a US-Israeli spy network that violated Yemeni law and harmed national interests.
On June 10, the Yemeni Security Forces uncovered a large espionage network operated by American and Israeli intelligence agencies. Officials revealed that the network had been active within various institutions in Yemen since 2015.
In a statement, the Ministry deemed the statements as a "blatant interference" in the internal affairs of Yemen and a persistent disregard for the principles and provisions of the UN Charter and international law, considering the matter "completely unacceptable".
It pointed out that these statements represent a desperate American attempt to cover up its resounding scandal exposed by the Yemeni security agencies, revealing deeply-rooted American hostility and systematic destructive policies not only against Yemen but also against Arab and Islamic countries.
The Yemeni Foreign Ministry also called on friendly, brotherly governments and peoples to monitor the suspicious destructive roles played by the embassies of these "rogue" states, specifically the United States, which engages in "subversive activities" as part of its unified policy against every Arab and Muslim country.
Earlier, the United States condemned detention operations carried out by the Yemeni government recently against employees affiliated with the United Nations and diplomatic missions, alleging that the information published by the Sanaa government regarding local employees of the American mission is "misleading".
The Yemeni Security Forces uncovered a large espionage network operated by #American and Israeli intelligence agencies.
— Al Mayadeen English (@MayadeenEnglish) June 11, 2024
Officials revealed that the network had been active within various institutions in #Yemen since 2015.#UnitedStates pic.twitter.com/WX6lrrggRa
US, UN remarks confirm spy ring used relief work as cover: Al-Houthi
The ministry's statement echoed remarks by Mohammad Ali al-Houthi, a member of the Supreme Political Council in Yemen, who said on Monday that the United States' inclusion of names of several countries in its statement about the dismantling of an American-Israeli spy network is "a clear proof of weakness and bankruptcy."
In a statement to the Yemeni news agency SABA, al-Houthi indicated that the US is attempting to whitewash its crimes and aggression against Yemen after failing to convince the world of the "legitimacy of its actions."
He pointed out that if things were the other way around, the US and the countries participating in the statement would not allow any side to carry out the same activities the spy network uncovered in Yemen carried out.
The official mentioned that the US and United Nations' remarks regarding the matter confirm the information revealed by the Yemeni security services about the spies working under the guise of humanitarian aid and relief for carrying out espionage activities.
Yemen uncovers large Israeli-US spy network
In early June, the Yemeni Security and Intelligence Service reported that the network gathered critical information across multiple sectors and relayed it to hostile intelligence services.
The agency said the data collection influenced decision-makers, infiltrated state agencies, and recruited officials within the Yemeni government.
The spy network was said to have aimed to destabilize Yemen's economy through information gathering and sabotage. The network is also blamed for damaging the agricultural sector by increasing pest infestations to boost agricultural imports, thus increasing Yemen's dependence on foreign parties
The network reportedly targeted Yemen's public health by spreading diseases and "undermined the education system by promoting moral corruption."
Additionally, the espionage network provided military intelligence to American and Israeli agencies to weaken the Yemeni army and diminish its capabilities, the agency added.
The Yemeni security forces underlined that the network supported the aggression against Yemen by supplying adversaries with military information, thereby hampering Yemen's military development over the past years.
Sanaa said more details about the network and its operations would be disclosed in the coming days.
