Dubai: Yemen yesterday came under increasing pressure in the aftermath of the mail bomb plot, with the US announcing it would be sending a team of counterterrorism experts to investigate the incident and Britain sounding a warning.
In comments made to the BBC, Britain's military chief General Sir David Richards said Yemen must not become a new Afghanistan. "We do not want to open up another front in there, nor do the Yemenis want us to do that," Richards said.
Sensitive issue
While the resurgence of Al Qaida in Yemen has sparked international reaction, the West has been cautious in its approach to tackling the issue, as many observers believe increased western interference has actually boosted Al Qaida's ability to recruit radicals.
Al Qaida in Yemen has been linked to the bomb plot because of the use of the explosive PETN, which was used by the group in last year's Christmas Day bombing attempt on a Detroit-bound airliner.
Meanwhile, UAE authorities are tracing the serial numbers of a mobile phone circuit board and computer printer used in the mail bomb found in the country. A security source told AP that the UAE is sharing the numbers with other countries in an effort to track the origins of the bomb parts.
In Berlin, a German security official said yesterday the mail bombs contained 300 grams and 400 grams respectively of PETN — enough for a "significant" explosion.
