SANAA, 27 August 2004 — Yemen has beefed up security at seaports following tips that a foreign terrorist group is planning to stage attacks on its ports, a senior security official said yesterday.
The official, who asked not to be named, told Arab News that the alert status was upgraded yesterday at all Yemeni seaports and oil exporting terminals.
“The coast guard forces and security apparatuses in the port cities took precautionary measures to curb possible infiltration of terrorists through the sea,” said the official.
“We received information about the intention of a foreign terrorist group to carry out sabotage acts on vital oil facilities on Yemeni shores,” he added. “Our intelligence confirmed those terrorists are now receiving training for the attacks.”
Other officials said the stepped up measures included deploying helicopters and more patrol boats to provide protection for two oil terminals on the Arabian Sea and the Red Sea.
The Yemeni coast has witnessed two terror attacks — in the October 2000 bombing of the US destroyer USS Cole in the southern port of Aden 17 US sailors were killed and 33 others injured in the attack.
In October 2002, the French oil supertanker Limburg was rammed by a small explosives-laden dinghy in the southeastern Yemeni oil exporting harbor of Al-Dhabba. A Bulgarian crew member was killed in the attack.
Officials would not elaborate on the source of the information about the potential attacks, but the alert followed a visit by commander of the US anti-terrorism task force in the Horn of Africa.
Brig. Gen. Samuel Helland, commander of the Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa made a brief visit to Sanaa this week for talks with senior military and security officials.
The US has recently provided Yemen with eight gunboats to help secure its 2,200-kilometer coastline. Yemeni authorities say they need $700 million to properly control the shores. Yemen has been working closely with the United States to chase suspected terrorists since after the Sept. 11 attacks.
