Yemen hunts bombmaker suspect

[maddezmom]

Source: Reuters

Yemen hunts bombmaker suspect
Tue Nov 2, 2010 9:52am GMT
SANAA (Reuters) - Yemen launched a major operation on Tuesday to arrest a Saudi bombmaker suspected of being behind a foiled bomb plot involving U.S.-bound parcels as the poverty-hit Muslim nation comes under pressure to find those responsible.

The aim of the operation in the provinces of Maarib and Shabwa was to capture Ibrahim al-Asiri, as well as the U.S.-born radical preacher Anwar al-Awlaki, who is wanted by Washington for his links to al Qaeda, a Yemeni security official said.

Yemeni authorities also began the trial in absentia of al-Awlaki, who has been linked to the failed bombing of a U.S.-bound plane in December 2009 that was claimed by Yemen's al Qaeda wing and who is thought to be in southern Yemen.

"Asiri is believed to be hiding and moving with senior al Qaeda elements such as (Yemen al Qaeda leader) Nasser al-Wahayshi. Security intelligence are still tracking them down to exactly identify their whereabouts," the official said.



Read more: http://af.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idAFLDE6A10HT20101102

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US hustles antiterror teams, funds to Yemen
By Kimberly Dozier
Associated Press / November 2, 2010
WASHINGTON — Teams of US antiterrorism and security specialists have been sent to Yemen to help search for suspects in the mail bomb plot and to train cargo screeners at the Sana airport.

A US Transportation Security Administration unit will provide new screening equipment and assist with cargo leaving Yemen, John Pistole, a TSA administrator, said yesterday.

John Brennan, the White House’s top counterterrorism official, is holding daily meetings via secure video teleconferences with the agencies involved in the investigation. Brennan has kept President Obama updated around the clock, but the White House said no changes are being made to the president’s upcoming 10-day trip to Asia as a result of the terror threat.

As investigative teams search for clues, the national security focus is moving to how to strike back at the Al Qaeda offshoot suspected of shipping explosives-laden cargo to the United States.

more:http://www.boston.com/news/nation/washington/articles/2010/11/02/us_hustles_antiterror_teams_funds_to_yemen/?rss_id=Boston.com+--+Top+political+stories

Cargo bomb plot: SAS hunting al-Qaeda in Yemen


British special forces are stationed in Yemen where they operate as part of a counter-terrorism training unit, assisting in missions to kill or capture al-Qaeda leaders.

Officially their operation is classified but sources have told the Daily Telegraph that they are present in the country as part of Britain’s military contribution to Yemen.


Britain also has an intelligence presence in Yemen seeking to gain information to help the Yemenis target al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsular (AQAP).

The US military’s Joint Special Operations Command also has a training programme in the country, thought to involve up to 75 personnel, and the CIA is thought to be operating a covert drone programme using missiles to target terrorists.

more: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/terrorism-in-the-uk/8104119/Cargo-bomb-plot-SAS-hunting-al-Qaeda-in-Yemen.html