Al-Qaida leader claimed responsibility for a foiled attempt of bombing a U.S.-bound airplane on Dec. 25, and vowed further attacks against the United States, in an audio recording aired Sunday by pan-Arab al-Jazeera TV.
US President Barack Obama, says that the US government had enough information to foil the attempted bombing of the Christmas Day flight. But, that intelligence agencies failed to connect the dots.
U.S. President Barack Obama confirmed Saturday in Hawaii that the failed attack on a Detroit-bound plane over Christmas was linked to an al-Qaida affiliate in Yemen.
US lawmakers are urging the White House not to allow detainees from the Guantanamo Bay prison to return home to Yemen.
The US Embassy in Yemen has remained closed for a second day. US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton says its reopening depends on security conditions.
President Barack Obama´s advisor on homeland security and anti-terrorism, John Brennan, says the US has no plans to deploy troops to Yemen, or to open up new battle-lines against terrorists. Brennan made the comments during an interview with Fox TV on Sunday.
The White House says the Nigerian accused of trying to bring down a trans-Atlantic plane provided useful intelligence to FBI interrogators.
The failed Christmas day bombing, has prompted the US to halt transferring detainees currently held at the detention facility in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, to Yemen.
Yemeni security forces have launched a manhunt for the suspected leader of an al-Qaida linked cell. The group is believed to be behind the threat that prompted the closure of the US and British embassies in Sanaa this week.
A political analyst says Yemen is the perfect breeding ground for al Qaeda. Nabil Haider says Yemen´s poor economic situation and corruption are encouraging terror groups to expand in the country.
United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has expressed concern at the deteriorating security situation in the Arabian Peninsula country.