Sana’a: Yemeni troops were on Sunday surrounding a Sana’a mosque controlled by former president Ali Abdullah Saleh amid concerns he is plotting a coup, a source close to the presidency said.
Saleh had ruled Yemen for 33 years before he was forced to resign in February 2012. He was replaced by his long-time deputy President Abd Rabbo Mansour Hadi under a UN- and Gulf-sponsored deal.
Presidential guard troops backed by armoured vehicles blocked access to the large Al Saleh mosque in Sana’a’s southern district.
The source close to the presidency said that weapons had been stored in the mosque and were being guarded by gunmen loyal to the former president.
A tunnel connecting the site to the presidential palace had been discovered.
Hadi suspects his predecessor is “plotting a coup”, the source said, without elaborating further.
The surrounding of the mosque late on Saturday came days after the authorities shut down a newspaper and television channel owned by Saleh.
The media outlets, both named Yemen Today, have often been singled out for their coverage, seen as biased against the government formed after Saleh’s departure.
They have also been accused of inciting protests in Sana’a against power cuts and water and fuel shortages.
Although weakened, Saleh still heads the influential General People’s Congress (GPC) political party and retains the loyalty of some elements in the military.
Critics accuse him of impeding the country’s political transition.
In February 2013, the United Nations reiterated a threat of sanctions against anyone who interferes in the delicate transition process, naming Saleh explicitly.
