U.S., Britain join counter-terrorism effort in Yemen

By Xinhua writer Yu Zhongwen

BEIJING, Jan. 7 (Xinhua) -- A Christmas Day bombing attempt on an international flight to the U.S. has triggered a new wave of security worries in America and Britain.

The suspect, Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, admitted that he had received the explosive device and training from an al-Qaeda unit in Yemen that has claimed responsibility for the plot.

Out of security concerns, the U.S. and Britain have decided to join the antiterrorism efforts by Yemen, a likely new front of global counter-terrorism, to fight against al-Qaeda.

YEMEN: NEW FRONT OF COUNTERTERRORISM

Yemeni security officials say al-Qaeda launched some 65 attacks in the country from 1992 to 2009.

According to media reports, al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) was set up in Yemen at the beginning of 2009. Al-Qaeda members in Saudi Arabia, Afghanistan and Pakistan sneaked into the country, and, police said, established training camps there to recruit new members.

The Yemeni government has stepped up efforts in recent years to fight terrorism. Yemeni troops killed some 70 al-Qaeda members and detained 77 others during anti-terrorism operations in 2009.

It's not an easy job for Yemen to root out al-Qaeda elements due to the complicated situation in the impoverished country, which is located at the southern tip of the Arabian Peninsula and features mountains and desert areas that provide natural cover forhideouts.

Estimates say there are some 60 million guns owned by civilians in the country with a population of about 21 million, making it easy for terrorists to obtain weapons.

In addition, Yemen in recent years has been busy dealing with rebel militants and separatist forces, partly distracting the government from its efforts on counter-terrorism.

U.S.: UNLIKELY TO SEND TROOPS

The Christmas Day bombing attempt, though a failure, clearly indicated that the al-Qaeda affiliate in Yemen has the capability of organizing attacks against targets within the U.S.

U.S. President Barack Obama, who ordered a review of American air security measures in an effort to prevent any future attacks, said he has made it a priority to strengthen cooperation with Yemen by training and equipping its security forces, sharing intelligence, and working together to strike at al-Qaeda terrorists in the country.

Christopher Boucek, a security affairs expert with the Washington-based Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, said the Christmas Day attack was the first time the al-Qaeda branch in Yemen moved on a U.S. target.

The attempt put the Obama administration on high alert and the U.S. government since has stepped up assistance and cooperation with Yemen.

"We have seen the administration focusing on building the capacity of Yemen going after al-Qaeda, by providing financial, technical and intelligence help to its government to make sure it can actively engage military operation against the terrorist group," Boucek said.