With the financial support of Bin Laden, he set up camps for the group in Shabwah, Marib and Saada governorates to train their members for attacks against the Yemeni Socialist Party.

By that time, Bin Laden had already authorized Abd al-Rahim al-Nashiri to begin planning an attack on a United States Navy vessel in Yemen two years prior.

[6][7] The US government eventually came to identify Harithi as the highest-ranking leader of AQY, placing him on a kill list alongside the likes of Bin Laden and Ayman al-Zawahiri.

[8] Harithi, alongside senior AQY member Mohammed al-Ahdal, went into hiding during 2001 after being tipped off that they were wanted for questioning for their role in the USS Cole bombing.

The raid failed, with both Harithi and al-Ahdal escaping and Yemeni forces suffering 18 casualties as they clashed with hostile Abidah tribesmen in the area.

[7] According to the transcripts of interviews between investigators and AQY members convicted for the MV Limburg bombing in October 2002, the attack on the French oil tanker was conducted on the orders of Harithi.