In 1962, Yemeni Republicans had overthrown their royal family, seeking to replicate the triumphs of Gamel Nasser of nearby Egypt. A hero of Arab Nationalism, Nasser had successfully taken control of the Suez Canal, vital to international shipping, from its Western owners. He pledged to support the new Yemen Arab Republic in its battle against Royalist forces, as North Yemen descended into a civil war which lasted the rest of the decade.
Although the Republicans eventually triumphed, the Royalists had their own foreign backers. Under a deal brokered by Muhammad Khashoggi's son, Adnan, arms were bought with Saudi dollars and distributed generously to anyone willing to fight the new regime. Meanwhile, these troops were trained by British "mercenaries" and covertly supported by MI6, allowing the UK to involve itself without an open declaration of war.
This gave Adnan his big break in the covert arms trade. He would later be implicated in the Iran-Contra scandal, which saw US weapons sold to Iran, in defiance of embargoes, and the profits directed to Nicaraguan "contra" rebels, in defiance of a Senate resolution. Adnan largely escaped punishment, as did most of his co-conspirators.
