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UK, US Embassies in Yemen Closed Sunday "For Security Reasons"

by Scott Wu | January 3, 2010 at 09:08 am

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The UK and US embassies in Yemen closed down today due to Al-Qaida threats followed by the Christmas Day bomb plot. A decision will be made on whether to reopen tomorrow. On the official US embassy website, a press release was issued, titled "Embassy Closed in Response to Security Threat":

The U.S. Embassy in Sana’a is closed today, January 3, 2010, in response to ongoing threats by Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) to attack American interests in Yemen.

On the press released, US embassy in Yemen reminds American citizens of the continuing threat of terrorist actions against them, and asks US citizens to "maintain a high level of vigilance and to practice enhanced security awareness."

The US embassy in Yemen has closed several times in the past due to security threats. The most recent security breach was in 2008, when gunmen and two vehicles with explosives attacked the embassy, killing 19 people including an 18-year-old US woman.

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snuffysmith

at 09:28 on January 3rd, 2010

Thank you for posting the video. I didn't have it when I wrote my story.

Scott Wu

at 17:24 on January 3rd, 2010

Thanks for recommending. Didn't know you were on the same story.

A. Tran

at 15:24 on January 3rd, 2010

Additional details about the closure of US & UK embassies in Yemen.

Britain and the US closed their embassies in Yemen because of fears of an imminent terror attack by the local wing of al-Qaida blamed for the failed attempt to blow up an airliner on Christmas Day.

Officials in London and Washington said the decision to close the missions was a result of specific intelligence. John Brennan, the US counterterrorism chief, said the American embassy, which was attacked twice in 2008, was shut because of "indications al-Qaida is planning to carry out an attack against a target inside of Sana'a [the capital] – possibly our embassy.We're not going to take any chances with the lives of embassy personnel," he said.