Thu, Dec 31 (Agencies): Al-Qaeda militants are planning terror attacks from Yemen, prompting the country’s Foreign Minister to appeal for global support to shore up its counter-terrorist forces.

The plea by Abu Bakr al-Qirbi came after an al-Qaeda group based in Yemen claimed responsibility for the attempted suicide bombing of American transatlantic jetliner on Christmas Day.

The Foreign Minister’s appeal for more help from Western countries to help to train and equip counter-terrorist forces came as he underlined that “hundreds” of al-Qaeda militants were plotting terror attacks from the country, the ‘Times online’ reported.

Nigerian national Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, alleged to be behind the attempt to blow up an America-bound aircraft, spent time in Yemen with al-Qaeda and was in the country only days before the failed attack.

“Of course there are a number of Al-Qaeda operatives in Yemen and some of their leaders… I can’t give you really an exact figure. Maybe hundreds of them, 200, 300,” al-Qirbi was quoted as saying by the BBC.

“We need more training, we have to expand our counter-terrorism units and this means providing them with the necessary training, military equipment, ways of transportation,” he said.

The foreign minister underlined the continuing threat that the al-Qaeda presence in Yemen posed and warned the Islamist ‘jihadists’ could plot further attacks like the attempted bombing of the US airliner.

“They may actually plan for attacks like the one we have just had in Detroit,” he warned.

- Agencies via The Indian Express

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