The blast occurred as Friday prayers ended at the Ben Salman mosque, often used by members of the security services, in Saada city. Local officials have been cited as saying the bomb was hidden in a car or a motorcycle. Abdulmalik al-Houthi, the leader of a Shia rebellion in the area, denied responsibility for the blast. "We criticise and condemn this regrettable incident," he said in an interview with al-Jazeera television. "We deny completely any role in this incident. It is not part of our ethics to target any mosque or any worshippers at all." Hundreds of people have been killed in clashes in the region since a conflict between pro-government forces and rebels loyal to Mr Houthi broke out in 2004. A BBC correspondent in Yemen says the mosque is often used by members of the security forces, which might have made it a target. The region is a Shia stronghold, while most Yemenis are Sunni Muslims. The Yemeni government says Mr al-Houthi's rebels want to overthrow it and impose Shia religious law. The rebels say they are defending their community against discrimination and what they call aggressive acts by the government. Groups affiliated with al Qaeda have also staged attacks in Yemen http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/7379929.stm
Wasn't the US training Yemenis in 2002? North Korea was sending them arms too. Not surprising there is a rebellion, it was expected, under the circumstances. http://www.counterpunch.org/leupp0520.html
Whither goest the Americans, al Qaeda followeth. This must be al-Qaeda in Yemen (AQY). Boy, its turned into a global corporation.
what a better way to put political pressure then suicide bombers or explosives vehicles? very common in this part of the world.
So is inciting rebel groups against the government, which generally sucks eggs. Blegh, hope there isn't another war.
and ill bet those rebels are afraid of the recent funding and military aid that Yemen's get that can prevent them from taking control of the country. the same old tune; who is the alpha male.
If a majority of the country is against a US military presence and the government is supporting it, the government is doomed, anyway. Too bad, the Yemenis were finally getting their society educated and implementing womens rights. Same ole, same ole.
Okay ------------- But Saleh's government has never fully controlled all of Yemen's territory, and in "lawless" regions, al-Qaeda forces may operate. Bin Laden's family is of Yemeni origin, and in 1998 bin Laden even contemplated moving his operation from Afghanistan to Yemen. (Thereafter, General Anthony Zinni, U.S. military commander in the region, made the first of several trips to the capital Sana'a.) In October 2000, commandos thought to be al-Qaeda operatives rammed a small boat loaded with explosives into the USS destroyer Cole, then refueling in Aden, killing 17 U.S. sailors. This ranked with the bombing of the Khobar Towers complex in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia in June 1996 (which killed 19 Americans), and the attack on the U.S. embassies in Nairobi and in Dar es-Sala'am in August 1998 (which killed 224, including 12 Americans) as a major al-Qaeda action prior to September 11. ------------------ Hmm?
