Yemen Identifies Slain Egyptian as Tourist Attack Plotter
06 July 2007
Authorities in Yemen have confirmed that an Egyptian man killed in a gunfight was the mastermind of Monday's suicide bomb attack that killed nine people.
The Egyptian -- identified as Ahmed Bassiouni Dewidar -- was killed Thursday during a gunfight with police in the capital, Sanaa. At least five security officers were wounded in the shootout.
Seven Spaniards and two Yemenis were killed Monday when a suicide bomber ran his car into a convoy transporting tourists to an ancient temple linked to the Queen of Sheba.
Yemeni authorities suspect the attackers were members of al-Qaida. At least 20 other suspects in the bombing have been arrested.
Yemen is the ancestral home of al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden. The terrorist group has carried out several attacks in the country, including the 2000 bombing of a U.S. warship in the Gulf of Aden that killed 17 American sailors.
Yemen has pledged its support for U.S. counter-terrorism efforts.
Some information for this report was provided by AP and Reuters.
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