IRANIAN CLERIC CRITICIZES AL-HOUTHIS

SANA'A, Dec.12 (Saba) - The Iranian cleric Abdul Karim Mousawi
Ardebili has said that the war against the al-Houthi rebels in the
northern Yemeni province of Saada was not against Shiites.

Ardebili also confirmed that there was a link between the Houthis
and al-Qaeda militants, the state-run 26sep.net reported on Saturday.

Yemen has urged Iran to take necessary measures against Iran-based
religions bodies aiding the al-Houthi insurgents in the north.

Yemen accused Iranian religious authorities of supporting the
rebels, saying much evidence over Iranian involvement in its affairs
was collected and submitted to Iran.

The Yemeni army is continuing battling the rebels since August
taking their strongholds and killing and arresting hundreds of the
al-Houthi fighters.

This year's confrontations come within the year-long war against the
north-based insurgency that started in 2004 when the then-Houthi
leader, Hussein Badr al-Din al-Houthi who was killed in the same
year in battles with the troops, ordered his followers to take
weapons and fight the authorities.

The rebellion was aimed at reinstalling imamate rule and seeking the
autonomy of Saada province on the border with Saudi Arabia.