Houthis confuse Yemeni YouTube comedy group for terror cell

The Houthi-run Masirah TV's news report on Sunday evening began by declaring a "new security success", met with "satisfaction and relief" by Sanaa residents - as a "terror cell" was busted by Houthi-controlled security forces in Yemen's capital.

The raid - which was reported by the Houthi-run state news agency Saba as targeting a cell which was apparently taking orders not only from the Islah Party, but al-Qaeda and the Saudi-led coalition as well - appeared to uncover a vast cache of weapons and explosives, as well as cameras, equipment and clothes.

It looks like a coup for the Houthi security forces, who declared another group of "mercenaries" apprehended.

However, a couple of scenes gave something away - the likelihood that the whole event was merely propaganda, and that there was no "terror cell" at all.

Among all the guns are computer hard drives, which appear to have a logo on them.

The logo is that of Rwabiit, a Yemeni media production company specialising in comedy YouTube videos.

Rwabiit's offices were raided by Houthi security forces three weeks ago. All their equipment was taken away, including those very same hard drives, as well as the SLR and Go-Pro cameras that appeared in the news report - and far more expensive equipment that did not.

The organisation is a youth-led group, and even produced an expensively made Ramadan comedy series earlier this summer.

Abdulrahman Aljameely, Rwabiit's head, cannot believe the accusation.

"Around three weeks ago, they raided the offices and did not find anything, so instead they stole the equipment - and yesterday we were shocked to see it being paraded on television alongside all these weapons," Aljameely told al-Araby al-Jadeed.

Aljameely emphasised that Rwabiit members came from across Yemeni society and that the organisation was not tied to any particular political party or movement.

His two cousins were previously detained by the Houthis following the earlier raid but have since been released.

Rwabiit has been one of the few organisations trying to create a semblance of normal life in Sanaa during the now six-month war that has rocked Yemen.

In July, they organised a stand-up comedy festival named "War Comedy", which attracted large crowds under the slogan "we create life while others create war".

The raid against Rwabiit appears to be part of a wider campaign of intimidation against activists - whether overtly anti-Houthi or independent - as the rebel movement fears a planned attack against Sanaa by the Saudi-led coalition and armed forces allied to Yemen's exiled government.