Police arrest al-Qaeda suspects with explosives in Sana’a

Tareq al-Dhahab, who led the takeover of Rada'a. © www.akhbaralyom.net

Police arrested five suspected members of al-Qaeda who were in possession of two explosive devices in the capital Sana’a, on December 24, a security officer said.

Central Security personnel suspected the car carrying the gunmen and stopped them near Central Security headquarters at approximately 7pm. “The al-Qaeda suspects were all armed travelling in a car adorned with wedding decorations,” the officer said.

Three security personnel and three suspected terrorists al-Qaeda were injured in an exchange of gunfire before the arrests were made. “They are now being held at Central Security, the car, and explosive devices have been impounded” the officer said.

The suspects are said to be from the al-Dhahab tribe, which briefly seized control of the town of Rada’a, 130 km southwest of the capital, declaring it an Islamic emirate, earlier this year in January.

The injured were all taken to hospital for treatment.

The source said that one of the injured was identified as Saleh Ahmed Naser al-Dhahab, a member of the al-Dhahab family.

Saleh’s brother was Tareq al-Dhahab, a militant commander who seized control of Rada’a and was a brother-in-law to Anwar al-Awlaqi, killed by a US drone strike in September 2011.

Saleh’s other brother Abdarraoof al-Dhahab assumed command after his brother Tareq’s death in a family dispute, was killed by a US drone strike in Rada’a last September.

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