Yemen says wanted al-Qaida leader turned himself in amid a crackdown
By APThursday, August 19, 2010
Yemen: top al-Qaida member turns himself in
SAN’A, Yemen — Yemen says a wanted a leading al-Qaida member accused of bombing a French oil tanker in 2002 has turned himself in.
The Yemeni Defense Ministry’s weekly magazine and a statement from the embassy in Washington said Thursday that Hazem al-Mujali had surrendered amid a government crackdown on the organization.
Al-Mujali was accused of the 2002 bombing of a French oil tanker and imprisoned, but on his release apparently rejoined al-Qaida.
He escaped a highly publicized raid late last year in northeast of San’a on al-Qaida cell suspected of plotting attacks.
The United States has increased funding and training for Yemen, calling the local branch of al-Qaida a global threat after it allegedly plotted a failed attempt to bomb a U.S. passenger jetliner on Christmas Day.
