Yemen Stops Al Qaeda Plot, Major Terror Threat Finally Revealed?

Yemen forces say they’ve prevented a major attack from Al Qaeda militants. The plan was for dozens of Al Qaeda to sneak into major oil plants and trade ports and take them over. They also say the militants planned to take over a provincial capital.

An official representing Yemen’s prime minister told the press that the plot involved Al Qaeda gunmen to dress as Yemen soldiers, Al Jazeera reports. Wearing these uniforms, they would then be able to enter major oil plants and export harbors. The attack would come from the inside. This was planned for Sunday night, the official said.

The areas targeted included plants and ports along the Arabian Sea and Red Sea.

How did Yemen forces stop the attack, then? The official says that extra military troops were placed in the high risk facilities. They also enforced much stronger rules about who was allowed in. Troops coming and going were given extra attention to make sure they were not disguised militants.

Another related Al Qaeda plot was foiled Sunday night, Yemen officials say. Militants had a similar plan to take over the leadership of the city of Mukalla, the capital of the province of Madramout, USA Today reports. The city of Bawzeer was also believed to be a target.

It is uncertain if these plots are linked to the major terror threat warning issued by the United States and Interpol over the past weekend. In response, the US and UK temporarily closed a large number of embassies and offices in the Middle East and Asia. This includes their offices in Yemen, which remain closed on Wednesday.

A pair of drone strikes was also reported in Yemen early Wednesday. At least one of those killed in the attacks was an Al Qaeda member, officials say. At least 20 people have been killed in drone strikes since July 28 in Yemen.

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