Held For Arms Smuggling

SAN'A, Yemen October 27, 2006 – Three Australians and a Dane have been arrested for allegedly trying to smuggle weapons to Somalia, a security official said last night.

All four are Muslims and have been studying at the Islamist Iman University, which is run by Sheik Abdul-Majid al-Zindani. The US lists al-Zindani as an Al-Qaeda supporter.

A Danish Foreign Ministry official confirmed the arrest of the Dane but refused to identify him.

Danish media said the suspect was a 23-year-old male who converted to Islam and moved to Yemen two months ago with his wife and child.

The arrests are part of a state security campaign against members of an Al-Qaeda cell. The security official said among more than 12 suspected militants arrested in the campaign, six were believed to be linked to the San'a cell.

One of the detainees, Ibrahim Abdullah al-Sinhi, also known as Abu Dujana al-Misiki, confessed that he was assigned to carry out an attack with an explosive-laden car on San'a international airport, the security official said.

Yemen is believed to be a frequent route for smuggling arms to Somali factions. Al-Qaeda has an active presence in Yemen, the ancestral home of Osama bin Laden.

Source: The Associated Press

Home | Contact us | Links | Archives