The Yemeni government hasreportedly rounded up more than two dozen Islamic militants withsuspected ties to al-Qaida, which authorities believe is involved withthe deadly car bomb attack Wednesday against the U.S. Embassy.
AlArabiya TV reports that Yemeni police launched the crackdown, amidthreats of further attacks against Western targets. The suspects arereportedly being interrogated by U.S. and Yemeni investigators.
AU.S. official, who refused to be named, confirmed that a team ofAmerican investigators had been sent to Yemen, and U.S. Embassyspokesman Ryan Gliha said that both sides are cooperating.
"Ajoint investigation has now begun," he said, "with cooperation betweenthe Yemeni government, the Yemeni security forces and officials fromthe U.S. Embassy."
An eyewitness also reported that he had seen foreign investigators in front of the embassy walls, examining debris.
U.S.State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said the assault bears thehallmarks of al-Qaida, but the U.S. has not concluded who is to blame.A group calling itself Islamic Jihad in Yemen claimed responsibilityand threatened further strikes.
The French Press Agency says thegroup is also demanding the U.S. and British embassies in Yemen beclosed if President Ali Abdallah Saleh does not release imprisonedIslamic militants.
The Yemeni government has arrested groups ofIslamic militants in recent years, but 23 escaped from prison in 2006,and a number of others were released after pledging not to resort toviolence.
At least 16 people, including six assailants, died inyesterday's multi-pronged attack against the U.S. Embassy, whichreportedly involved two car bombs.
One U.S. citizen, 18-year-oldSusan Albaneh, who is married to a Yemeni national, was killed alongwith her husband in front of the embassy in the Wednesday attack. Itwas the second attack on the U.S. Embassy in six months and the fourthsince 2003.