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| Yemen, on Alert for Terrorism, Says It Foiled a Qaeda Plot | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| SANA, Yemen — Yemeni security officials said Wednesday that they had foiled an audacious plot by Al Qaeda to seize an important port and kidnap or kill foreigners working there, but the claim aroused some skepticism among Yemenis and independent terrorism analysts. | SANA, Yemen — Yemeni security officials said Wednesday that they had foiled an audacious plot by Al Qaeda to seize an important port and kidnap or kill foreigners working there, but the claim aroused some skepticism among Yemenis and independent terrorism analysts. |
| The foiled plot did not appear to be related to the possible terrorist threat that has led to the closing of embassies here and elsewhere. | The foiled plot did not appear to be related to the possible terrorist threat that has led to the closing of embassies here and elsewhere. |
| Yemen’s capital was in a state of high alert on Wednesday, with jet fighters soaring overhead and many streets barricaded. | Yemen’s capital was in a state of high alert on Wednesday, with jet fighters soaring overhead and many streets barricaded. |
| Hours later, three drone strikes early Thursday east of the capital killed at least three people, according to witnesses. The strikes occurred a day after seven people were killed in a strike in the southeast portion of the country, said American government officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to reporters. A strike on Tuesday killed four people. | Hours later, three drone strikes early Thursday east of the capital killed at least three people, according to witnesses. The strikes occurred a day after seven people were killed in a strike in the southeast portion of the country, said American government officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to reporters. A strike on Tuesday killed four people. |
| Thursday’s drone strikes hit one of two cars carrying Qaeda members in the Erq Al Shabwan area of the Abeidah Valley in Mareb. Witnesses said that one car was carrying a leading member of Al Qaeda from Saudi Arabia, but that it was not known if he was in the vehicle that was struck. | Thursday’s drone strikes hit one of two cars carrying Qaeda members in the Erq Al Shabwan area of the Abeidah Valley in Mareb. Witnesses said that one car was carrying a leading member of Al Qaeda from Saudi Arabia, but that it was not known if he was in the vehicle that was struck. |
| The strikes occurred as the army and Qaeda fighters were battling over the Raidan oil field in Mareb. Yemeni security officials said the foiled militant plot included a plan to take control of the Mina al-Dhaba oil terminal in the Mukalla region on the Arabian Sea in the country’s southeast. The officials did not say how the plot — which followed government reports about a similar plot at the same port in June — had been disrupted. | The strikes occurred as the army and Qaeda fighters were battling over the Raidan oil field in Mareb. Yemeni security officials said the foiled militant plot included a plan to take control of the Mina al-Dhaba oil terminal in the Mukalla region on the Arabian Sea in the country’s southeast. The officials did not say how the plot — which followed government reports about a similar plot at the same port in June — had been disrupted. |
| The plan would have involved many Qaeda operatives wearing Yemeni Army uniforms to seize the port and then attack, kill or kidnap foreigners working there, the officials said. It was not clear if the disruption of the purported plan was linked to a spate of recent American drone strikes. | The plan would have involved many Qaeda operatives wearing Yemeni Army uniforms to seize the port and then attack, kill or kidnap foreigners working there, the officials said. It was not clear if the disruption of the purported plan was linked to a spate of recent American drone strikes. |
| The security officials said the strike on Wednesday hit members of a Bedouin tribe about 40 miles west of Attaq in the southeastern area of Shabwah. It was the fifth known American strike in the past two weeks, part of an intensified campaign to disrupt the suspected plots that led to the embassy closings. | The security officials said the strike on Wednesday hit members of a Bedouin tribe about 40 miles west of Attaq in the southeastern area of Shabwah. It was the fifth known American strike in the past two weeks, part of an intensified campaign to disrupt the suspected plots that led to the embassy closings. |
| The BBC earlier quoted a Yemeni government spokesman as saying that the foiled plots were more extensive, involving plans to blow up oil pipelines and take over two ports in the south, threatening Yemen’s oil exports. | The BBC earlier quoted a Yemeni government spokesman as saying that the foiled plots were more extensive, involving plans to blow up oil pipelines and take over two ports in the south, threatening Yemen’s oil exports. |
Nasser Arrabyee reported from Sana, and Alan Cowell from London. Robert F. Worth contributed reporting from Washington. | Nasser Arrabyee reported from Sana, and Alan Cowell from London. Robert F. Worth contributed reporting from Washington. |