Al Qaida members bought arms to carry out attacks in Yemen

Sanaa: Files of 19 Al Qaida suspects, some of them from Iraq, have been referred to the general prosecution for trials on terror charges, official sources said on Tuesday.

"This group was planning to carry out terrorist operations, including attacks on places frequented by Americans such as Aden hotel," reported 26 September, a state-run website, quoting unidentified security official.

Some of the suspects came back from Iraq after Abu Musab Al Zarqawi, Al Qaida chief in Iraq, had directed them to go back to Yemen for terrorist operations, including assassinations of Americans, the website added.

Revenge

"One of the suspects who came back from Iraq, Ali Abdullah Asyan, [who called himself Abu Ali Al Harethi Jr] and other returnees planned to take revenge for the killing of Abu Ali Al Harethi who was murdered in November 2002," said the official.

Before being arrested on May 9, 2005, the group headed by Jamal Saif Abdullah Saleh (Abu Obaid) had purchased weapons, explosives and remote control devices; and they designed charts and maps showing the targets.

The official said the group had forged various official documents, including identification cards with fake names, and rented flats to carry out their operations.

Last Monday, files of six Al Qaida suspects, including four turned over to Yemen by the US, were also referred to the general prosecution.

The writer is a journalist based in Sanaa