6 Terrorist Suspects in Yemen Bombing Arrested

Yemen’s Interior Ministry yesterday said it arrested six of 12 suspects suspected of involvement in the March 15 terrorist bombing in Shibam that killed four Korean tourists.

The ministry said on its Internet homepage that the six al-Qaeda members are also suspected to have plotted 10 other terrorist attacks on foreign tourists and oil facilities.

AFP said the six are suspected of orchestrating the terrorist attack on vehicles carrying Korean government officials and the bereaved families of the four bombing victims.

The Yemeni ministry said it is rounding up other suspects and that their apprehension was only “a matter of time.” Photos of the 12 suspects were aired on Yemeni television and newspapers, and a reward was offered.

The daily Yemen Observer said its government has launched a major operation to arrest all members of al-Qaeda’s unit in Yemen, adding several senior al-Qaeda members were apprehended.

raphy@donga.com