Obama aide says al Qaeda may plan Yemen attack. US, Britain close embassies

[G_j]

eyes on Yemen..

http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-world/us-britain-close-yemen-embassies-over-alqaeda-threats-20100104-lnmm.html

Obama aide says al Qaeda may plan Yemen attack

Reuters
Sunday, January 3, 2010; 8:36 AM

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States has indications al Qaeda is planning an attack against a target in the Yemeni capital of Sanaa, a senior aide to President Barack Obama said on Sunday.

John Brennan, Obama's assistant for homeland security and counterterrorism, told CNN's "State of the Union" that "there are indications that al Qaeda is planning an attack against a target in Sanaa."

The United States closed its embassy in Sanaa on Sunday, saying it had taken the action "in response to ongoing threats by al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula to attack American interests in Yemen."

"We know that al Qaeda is out there. We know we have to mind our steps," Brennan added.

A Nigerian man, who attempted and failed to bomb a U.S. aircraft carrying 300 people on Christmas Day, is believed to have received training from the militant group in Yemen.

Al Qaeda said the attempted bombing was in retaliation to U.S. involvement in Yemen and its military support for the Yemeni government, which launched an offensive against the Islamist group.

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US, Britain close Yemen embassies over Al-Qaeda threats
HAMMOUD MOUNASSAR

January 4, 2010 - 12:54AM

The US and British embassies in Yemen closed on Sunday amid threats from a local branch of Al-Qaeda, after Washington and Britain vowed to help the impoverished country in its fight against extremism.

The moves came after US President Barack Obama blamed a Yemen-based Al-Qaeda affiliate for the foiled Christmas Day attack on a US airliner and a day after US regional military commander General David Petraeus visited Sanaa.

Claiming responsibility for the thwarted attack on the Detroit-bound Northwest airliner, Al-Qaeda's franchise in Yemen urged attacks on embassies and other Western targets in Yemen.

"The US Embassy in Sanaa is closed today, January 3, 2010, in response to ongoing threats by Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) to attack American interests in Yemen," said a statement on the embassy's website.

Britain followed suit, with a spokeswoman for the Foreign Office in London confirming that its Sanaa embassy was closed on Sunday "for security reasons."

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