CAIRO Ñ The United States has decided to clear an area around its
embassy in Yemen in an effort to bolster security in the face of an alert of
an attack by Al Qaida.
The U.S. intention was reported as Yemeni security forces clashed with
an Al Qaida insurgent who attempted to approach the area of the U.S. embassy
in Sanaa. The insurgent, believed linked to the October 2000 bombing of the
USS Cole, was killed by a grenade that exploded prematurely.
The Sanaa-based Al Wihda weekly said the U.S. embassy plans to
purchase buildings around the facility in the Yemeni capital. The newspaper
said the purchase is meant to clear the area around the embassy of Yemeni
nationals and bolster security.
Yemeni security forces have blocked the area around the U.S. embassy to
cars and outsiders. The measure was implemented in January after an alert of
an imminent attack.
Authorities have also arrested Yemenis and other nationals suspected of
planning attacks on the embassy. On Monday, a young Yemeni national was
arrested on Monday near the area of the U.S. embassy and was found to have
possessed forged documents.
Last week, Yemeni authorities arrested four Somali nationals on charges
of illegally entering the country. The four were charged with being members
of Islamic insurgency groups.
At the same time, Yemeni authorities were searching for an Al Qaida
insurgent identified as Fawaz Al Rabi'i. Rabi'i has been the subject of an
FBI alert and was said to have escaped Afghanistan and headed for Sanaa to
attack U.S. nationals and installations in Yemen. Yemeni security sources
said they have not found any evidence that Rabi'i had arrived in Yemen.
