Terrorist attacks coincide with elections [Archives:2006/982/Front Page]
Mohammed Al-Jabri
SANA'A, September 16 ) Security authorities on Saturday arrested four Al-Qaeda members who were planning attacks in the capital city, Minister of Interior Rashad Al-Alimi announced at a Saturday press conference in Sana'a.
“A cell linked to the Al-Qaeda network was arrested Saturday morning in the capital city of Sana'a. The cell had links to terrorist attacks on oil installations Friday in Hadramout and Marib governorates,” the minister stated.
According to Al-Alimi, security forces seized explosives from the suspects planned for terrorist attacks in the capital city. The explosives consisted of 12 bags each containing 88 to 110 pounds of highly explosive material.
Security forces also confiscated masks and women's clothing, which militants sometimes use to disguise themselves, in addition to forged IDs, a vehicle license plate, a video camera and other items required to conduct terrorist acts, Al-Alimi added.
He accused the four militants of belonging to the Al-Qaeda network, indicating, “They were planning to attack targets in the capital city of Sana'a.”
Security forces surrounded the Al-Qaeda-linked cell Friday night, capturing it early Saturday morning. At first, they resisted by using force, but no one was hurt when security forces arrested them, Al-Alimi noted.
As for Friday's attacks in Hadramout and Marib, Al-Alimi said such acts aimed to “damage the national economy and the interest of the Yemeni people.
“They placed 10 gas canisters tied with TNT explosives on each of their four vehicles so they could blow up oil and gas installations,” he explained. Security forces foiled the attacks, killing the four militants.
Timed to coincide with this week's elections, Al-Alimi assured that the attacks wouldn't affect the election process or democracy in Yemen.
In 2000, the USS Cole was attacked while refueling at Aden port. Two men approached the destroyer in a dinghy loaded with 500 pounds of explosives, killing 17 U.S. sailors and wounding 33 others when the explosives were detonated.
Two years later, the French oil tanker Limburg was attacked off the Yemeni coast, killing one crew member and unloading 90,000 barrels of oil into the Gulf of Aden.
——
[archive-e:982-v:14-y:2006-d:2006-09-18-p:front]
