Authorities deny Mareb explosions [Archives:2007/1016/Front Page]

Mareb, Jan.14 ) Local authorities in Mareb governorate denied last Saturday the occurrence of any explosions at Balquis Throne Temple.

“There had been no explosion in temple's yard and or any surrounding areas,” said the local council's secretary general, Jaber Al-Shabwani,who also expressed his sorrow for some media promote such baseless news.

However, some people assured the occurrence of explosions.

One local in Mareb assured that he heard a powerful explosion on Saturday around 4 a.m.

“The explosion was so strong,” said Hamid Abu Nab. “It left behind a deep hole near to Balquis Throne Temple.”

He further pointed out that a small gray car was seen the day before near the temple and this is what raised the doubts among the locals.

26 September News Paper, organ of Yemeni Armed Forces, reported security sources as saying the explosions resulted from an old mine buried underground. The explosion caused no damage to the temple or its wall as it happened 5 meters away. The same source said the explosion occurred while there were no tourists and it was an accident.

A security sources expressed fear the explosion could be a terrorist attack aiming to shake stability and security and attract authority's attention away from the case of those accused in attacking oil facilities and Mareb's Safer and Hadramout's Al-Dhabah in September.
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