A local student tossed a sound grenade at the U.S. Embassy in Sana'a Friday evening, hitting a tree but injuring no one, Yemeni and U.S. officials said.
The 25-year-old student, Samir Yahya Awadh, was detained by security personnel within moments as he was reaching in his pocket for another grenade, the official at the president's office said on condition of anonymity.
According to AP, police officials at the scene said security guards had fired at the man, who was believed to be injured. He had been walking by the embassy compound when he stopped at the main gate, threw a grenade and tried to run away, they said.
A U.S. official in Washington said two concussion grenades were thrown at the embassy wall. No one was hurt, Yemeni authorities responded quickly, and one person was apprehended," said the official.
Yemeni police and soldiers closed off streets around the embassy and searched vehicles. Witnesses had reported seeing a car speeding from the site after the explosion, which occurred just before 6 p.m. local time.
This incident came a day after U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney visited Sana'a airport for two hours of talks with Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh on the war on terrorism.
Security in Yemen has been a top concern of the United States since a boat laden with explosives slammed into the USS Cole in October 2000, killing 17 American sailors. (Albawaba.com)
© 2002 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
