Yemeni jihadist rehabilitation program
Encyclopedia
In January 2009 the President of Yemen
, Ali Abdullah Saleh
announced plans to start a new Yemeni jihadist rehabilitation program similar to the Saudi jihadist rehabilitation program.
According to Michelle Shephard
, reporting for the Toronto Star
in September 2009, Yemen had been an innovator in jihadist rehabilitation, with an effort led by Hamoud al-Hitar
, called the "Committee for Religious Dialogue".
Shephard wroted in September 2009 that she found no sign of the new program during a recent visit.
Shephard wrote that the earlier jihadist rehabilitation program had been shut down in 2005 due to a lack of funds and lack of interest.
She interviewed both al-Hitar, and Nasser al Bahri, one of the program's more well-known graduates.
Al Bahri said that his meeting with al-Hitar were "tainted", because they took place in prison, and were under surviellance.
Shephard wrote that, using the term used by those who study rehabilitation of jihadists Al Bahri was not "deradicalized" -- he had merely been "disengaged".
Yemen
The Republic of Yemen , commonly known as Yemen , is a country located in the Middle East, occupying the southwestern to southern end of the Arabian Peninsula. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the north, the Red Sea to the west, and Oman to the east....
, Ali Abdullah Saleh
Ali Abdullah Saleh
Field Marshal Ali Abdullah Saleh is the first President of the Republic of Yemen. Saleh previously served as President of the Yemen Arab Republic from 1978 until 1990, at which time he assumed the office of chairman of the Presidential Council of a post-unification Yemen. He is the...
announced plans to start a new Yemeni jihadist rehabilitation program similar to the Saudi jihadist rehabilitation program.
According to Michelle Shephard
Michelle Shephard
Michelle Shephard is an investigative reporter with the Toronto Star newspaper in Canada. She has been awarded the Michener Award for public service journalism and twice won Canada's top newspaper prize, the National Newspaper Award. In 2011, she was an associate producer on an Oscar-nominated...
, reporting for the Toronto Star
Toronto Star
The Toronto Star is Canada's highest-circulation newspaper, based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Its print edition is distributed almost entirely within the province of Ontario...
in September 2009, Yemen had been an innovator in jihadist rehabilitation, with an effort led by Hamoud al-Hitar
Hamoud al-Hitar
Hamoud Al-Hitar is a Yemeni judge.He is notable for leading a Yemeni jihadist rehabilitation program, called the "Committee for Religious Dialogue"....
, called the "Committee for Religious Dialogue".
Shephard wroted in September 2009 that she found no sign of the new program during a recent visit.
Shephard wrote that the earlier jihadist rehabilitation program had been shut down in 2005 due to a lack of funds and lack of interest.
She interviewed both al-Hitar, and Nasser al Bahri, one of the program's more well-known graduates.
Al Bahri said that his meeting with al-Hitar were "tainted", because they took place in prison, and were under surviellance.
Shephard wrote that, using the term used by those who study rehabilitation of jihadists Al Bahri was not "deradicalized" -- he had merely been "disengaged".