Brown calls international conference to discuss Yemen

LONDON, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- The British Prime Minister Gordon Brown has called an international conference in London to discuss how to help Yemen to tackle extremism.

The United States and European Union had expressed their support for the 28 January meeting, and Brown intended to attract Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states to attend, local media reported.

" The international community must not deny Yemen the support it needs to tackle extremism," said Brown. " I have said before that Yemen -- as both an incubator and potential safe haven for terrorism -- presents a regional and global threat."

The aims of the meeting, to be held alongside the conference on the future of Afghanistan on the same day, will include identifying Yemen's anti-terrorism needs and discussing ways of tackling extremism through aid.

Umar Farouk Abdul Mutallab, a terrorism suspect who attempted to blow up a Detroit-bound airliner, is believed to have linked up with al-Qaeda in Yemen.