Yemen has detained a man it described as the major financer of al Qaeda in Yemen and Saudi Arabia, a security source said on Sunday. According to Reuters, the source conveyed Hassan Hussein Alwan, a Saudi national, was rounded up two days ago in Marib province in the east of Yemen.
Meanwhile, efforts are underongoing to free nine foreigners, who the authorities claimed the shiite Houthi rebels have kidnapped in Yemen's province of Saada.
The state-run 26sep.net cited an official source as saying the abducted included seven Germans, a British engineer and a Korean educator. The foreigners have been working at the Jumhori Hospital in the province.
On Thursday, armed tribesmen from the Sabara tribe in Amran intercepted a bus, which belonged to the Saudi Hospital in Saada, and took 24 medics from India, Philippines, Egypt and Sudan, who were inside it. The kidnappers demanded the release of tribesmen, who were arrested by the authorities last Ramadan in connection with last year's war between the troops and the Houthi rebels. The medics, however, were released unharmed after a day-long kidnapping.
© 2009 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
