US warns Americans in Yemen to be cautious after attacks

Sana'a: The US embassy in Yemen has warned Americans to exercise caution after failed mortar attacks on a villa compound in Sana'a on Sunday.

Glass panes of a building in the compound were smashed after unknown attackers, believed to be Al Qaida affiliates, fired three mortars at the compound and ran away.

Al Qaida has claimed responsibility for the attack, a security source was quoted as saying by an agency report.

"Al Qaida has claimed the attack on the villas in Sana'a and the security services have obtained a statement confirming this from one of Al Qaida's websites on the Internet," the source, who declined to be named, said.

Two mortars hit a recreation room and restaurant in that building causing no injuries as no one was there, American and Yemeni officials confirmed. The third mortar exploded outside the compound.

"The embassy advises all US citizens to exercise caution in this area of city, and will report any further information that may become available," the embassy statement said.

The attack came only two days after gunmen, believed to by Al Qaida affiliates, fired mortars at a checkpoint in Hadramout, east of the country, killing a soldier and injuring seven others. The attackers are still at large.

On March 19, mortars fired at the US embassy in Sana'a missed it and hit a neighbouring girls' school killing two girls and injuring a number of others.

The Al Qaida in Yemen claimed responsibility for that failed attack.

Meanwhile, the Yemeni security authorities said yesterday they had arrested, Ali Abdullah Gazi Al Raymi, one of the most wanted Al Qaida suspect in Yemen.

Al Raymi was arrested after a hunt lasting more than two years, a security official told reporters yesterday.

Al Raymi was accused of participating in several terrorist attacks in Yemen over the last several years, the official added.

Al Raymi, along with 21 other inmates, had escaped from a maximum security prison here in Sana'a on February 2006.