U.S. official: Al Qaeda in Yemen bigger threat than in Pakistan

[Turborama]

Source: CNN International

By Larry Shaughnessy, CNN Pentagon Producer
December 18, 2010 -- Updated 0240 GMT (1040 HKT)

The administration's top counterterrorism adviser said Friday that the al Qaeda group based in Yemen poses a greater threat to Americans than Osama bin Laden's group based in Pakistan.

John Brennan, assistant to the president for homeland security and counterterrorism, said the Yemen-based group, al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, is "increasingly active" in reaching out to find terrorist recruits, even in the United States.

"Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula is now the most operationally active node of the al Qaeda network," Brennan said during a forum at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.

"The ranks of al Qaeda have been bolstered by members with ties to the West, or with American citizenship, such as Anwar al-Awlaki," he said. "Indeed, al Qaeda is seeking to attract not just Westerners or Americans overseas, but Americans inside the United States."

Read more: http://edition.cnn.com/2010/US/12/17/al.qaeda.yemen/

[Turborama]

1. Official: US, Yemen step up counterterror fight

AP foreign, Saturday December 18 2010

The White House counterterror chief said Friday that despite U.S.-Yemeni relations fraught with debate and tension, the two sides are ratcheting up efforts to capture or kill militants.

John Brennan said he and Yemeni president Ali Abdullah Saleh have had what he called "animated conversations" at times over U.S. frustrations with Yemeni foot-dragging in counterterror and Yemen's complaints that promised U.S. aid is not arriving fast enough.

"But that is the hallmark of true friendship," Brennan said, in remarks about U.S. policy toward Yemen delivered at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. "Not telling the other what they want to hear, but telling the other what they need to hear."

Brennan's attempt to reassure the U.S. public that Yemen is cooperating in the hunt for al-Qaida comes just a day after U.S. officials said they had intelligence indicating al-Qaida's Yemen offshoot is planning another attack during the coming holiday period. The group was blamed for dispatching a bomber who failed an attempt to bring down a U.S.-bound passenger plane a year ago and more recently with failed attempts to bring down two American cargo planes with explosives hidden in ink cartridges.

Full article: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/feedarticle/9413054

[madrchsod]

2. that`s been known to the public for almost year.

[egoclothes]

3. All aboard for a War on terror in yeman now. yup

i would say this is sarcasm but........