CAIRO Ñ Yemen has launched what diplomatic sources described as
unprecedented security measures in preparation for a renewed insurgency
campaign by Al Qaida.
The sources said Yemen has arrested about 170 people suspected of links
with Al Qaida and has beefed up security around hundreds of officials in
both the central government in Sanaa as well as in the provinces.
President Ali Abdullah Saleh, the sources said, has ordered the military
and security agencies to prepare to attack Al Qaida strongholds near the
Saudi border. They did not say when this would take place.
On Thursday, the London-based Al Hayat daily quoted a Yemeni security
source as saying that the goverment has received warnings of a campaign by
Al Qaida and its Islamic allies. The source said the alert has led the
government to conclude that it must eradicate the large Al Qaida presence
from the Arab country.
"We are in possession of a large amount of information that in the end
must lead us to cleanse Yemen from all terrorists and extremists," the
security source said. "We will not yield to these threats and we will reach
anyone who threatens our security."
Yemen has seen a spate of bombings over the last month. They appear to
have targeted the U.S. embassy as well as Yemeni security agencies.
The United States has sent about 20 military personnel to Yemen to help
train the military and security forces in counter-insurgency operations.
Yemen has asked Washington to delay sending additional trainers amid
friction between the two countries regarding the security measures being
demanded by the United States.
