Islamic Army of Aden (IAA)

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Islamic Army of Aden (IAA)

Islamic Army of Aden (IAA) also operates as, or is known as, the Aden-Abyan Islamic Army (AAIA).

The IAA emerged publicly in mid-1998 when the group released a series of communiqués that expressed support for Osama Bin Laden (also spelled Usama Bin Ladin) appealed for the overthrow of the Yemeni government and the commencement of operations against U.S. and other Western interests in Yemen. The IAA engages in bombings and kidnappings to promote its goals. IAA members kidnapped 16 British, Australian, and U.S. tourists in late December 1998 near Mudiyah in southern Yemen. Since the capture and trial of the Mudiyah kidnappers and the execution in October 1999 of the group's leader, Zein al-Abidine al-Mihdar (a.k.a. Abu Hassan), individuals associated with the IAA have remained involved in terrorist activities. In 2001, the Yemeni government convicted an IAA member and three associates for their roles in the October 2000 bombing of the British Embassy.

IAA operates in the southern governorates of Yemen—primarily Aden and Abyan.

█ FURTHER READING:

ELECTRONIC:

CDI (Center for Defense Information) Terrorism Project. CDI Fact Sheet: Current List of Designated Foreign Terrorist Organizations. March 27, 2003. <http://www.cdi.org/terrorism/terrorist.cfm> (April 17, 2003).

Central Intelligence Agency. World Factbook, 2002. <http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/> (April 16, 2003).

Taylor, Francis X. U.S. Department of State. "Patterns of Global Terrorism 2001." Annual Report: On the Record Briefing. May 21, 2002. <http://www.state.gov/s/ct/rls/rm/10367.htm> (April 17, 2003).

U.S. Department of State. Annual reports. <http://www.state.gov/www/global/terrorism/annual_reports.html> (April 16, 2003).