Yemen plays down US & UK warnings of possible attacks [Archives:2005/832/Front Page]

Yemeni officials on Saturday played down U.S. and British warnings of possible attacks by militants against their citizens or interests in Yemen.

A senior Yemeni Foreign Ministry official told Reuters there was no specific threat associated with the warnings issued by the U.S. State Department and British Foreign Office.

“The American warning is more than a week old and the

British warning is three days old,” the official said, adding “there was no specific threat” linked to either.

The British and the U.S. embassies in Sana'a have been temporarily shut down following information of possible terrorist attacks.

The US State Department ramped up its travel advisory for Yemen on Friday as it warned it was concerned about possible attacks by extremists against U.S. citizens or interests in the Middle Eastern state.

The UK Foreign Office also cited risks in Yemen on Friday.

It suspended work at its embassy there “in the light of a current, credible threat to Western interests.”

“We are closing down following the U.S. concerns over possible terrorist attacks,” a diplomat at the UK embassy told Yemen Times on condition of anonymity.

He said that they had general information passed on by the US embassy on possible terrorist attacks targeting Western interests, including the U.S. and UK citizens. U.S. officials contacted their British counterparts in Sana'a and a decision was taken to suspend operations.

He pointed out that there was no specific timing for the closure, adding that operations in the embassy were suspended until further notice.

“We have had a credible security threat which we are obviously taking very seriously so we are suspending all operations in the British embassy,” a Foreign Office spokesman said Friday.

“There is a high threat from terrorism and evidence that terrorists may be targeting Western, including British, interests in Yemen.”

“In light of a current, credible threat to Western interests the Embassy will temporarily suspend services.

On the other hand, the British Embassy had on Sunday resumed its services after a one day halt on Saturday.This situation will be kept under review. British nationals visiting or resident in Yemen should consider whether their personal security arrangements are adequate.”

“The only thing I can say is that there has been a current and credible threat and we have taken the precautionary measure of suspending all operations from Saturday the 9th of April,” he added.

Sometime later, the U.S. notice came out warning Americans to delay traveling to Yemen and authorized the voluntary departure of family members and no emergency personnel working at the U.S. Embassy in Sana'a.

“The Department of State warns U.S. citizens to defer non-essential travel to Yemen,” it said in the latest travel warning.

“The Department is concerned about possible attacks by extremist individuals or groups against U.S. citizens, facilities, businesses and perceived interests and therefore has authorized the voluntary departure from Yemen of non-emergency personnel and eligible family members,” it warned.

The current advisory is a bit tougher and stronger than the previous warning issued last November.

The earlier warning did not ask Americans to delay nonessential travel, nor did it authorize a voluntary departure from the embassy in Sana'a.

The department issued a warning in November that the risks to all U.S. citizens in Yemen remained high due to terrorist activities, but wording in its newest warning was stronger.

The UK embassy in Sana'a closed down last January due to security concerns.

The embassy had suspended services on Wednesday following waning of potential terrorist attacks against Western targets in the country.

“There is a high threat from terrorism.

As at January 6, there is specific information that terrorists are in the final stages of planning attacks against British targets and other Western interests in Yemen,” said an advisory issued on January 7.

The British and the U.S. embassies were both attacked by hand grenades.

Political observers think the decision might have something to do with the ongoing fight between the government troops and the rebels led by cleric Badruddin al-Houthi, mainly the attacks carried out by members of the Faithful Youth movement against some military officers.
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