SAN'A, Yemen, July 2, 2007

Al Qaeda Suicide Bomber Kills 9 In Yemen

7 Spaniards And 2 Yemenis Killed At Popular Temple Site

  • Security forces and others attend the scene after a suspected al Qaeda-linked suicide bomber killed nine people including several Spanish tourists when he drove his car into the site of the ancient Queen of Sheba temple in the central province of Marib, about 84 miles east of the capital San'a, in Yemen, Monday, July 2, 2007, police officials said. Photo

    Security forces and others attend the scene after a suspected al Qaeda-linked suicide bomber killed nine people including several Spanish tourists when he drove his car into the site of the ancient Queen of Sheba temple in the central province of Marib, about 84 miles east of the capital San'a, in Yemen, Monday, July 2, 2007, police officials said.  (AP Photo/Marib Press)

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(CBS/AP)  An al Qaeda suicide bomber drove into a convoy of Spanish tourists visiting an ancient Yemeni temple, officials said, killing seven Spaniards and two Yemenis less than two weeks after a U.S. terror warning about the area.

Witnesses said the bomber drove a car through the gate of the temple compound, and the vehicle exploded near the structure, which was built about 3,000 years ago and dedicated to the Queen of Sheba.

Spain's foreign minister, Miguel Angel Moratinos, said seven dead and five wounded — one seriously — were Spaniards when the bomber drove into the middle of the Spanish convoy.

A four-wheel drive pick-up car entered the site as a procession of four cars was getting ready to get out from the site with police escorts, Deputy Minister of Interior, General Brigade Mohammed al-Qusi told the Yemen Observer.

Witnesses who arrived after the scene said the only saw bits of cars and bodies strewn on the ground, he said.

"We could not recognizes what kind of cars they were, we just saw small parts of them here and there, and dead bodies were burning," he said. "It was very horrible sight."

No one claimed responsibility for the attack in the central Marib province, about 85 miles east of the capital San'a, but authorities linked the suicide bomber to al Qaeda. Police said they received information last month about a possible al Qaeda attack.

Less than two weeks ago, the U.S. Embassy warned Americans to avoid the area. On June 23 in the neighboring Shabwa province, a Yemeni guard opened fire on a group of foreign oil workers shortly after they landed at a company airstrip, killing one and wounding five — including an American.

The provincial governor said at the time that the guard was mentally ill, but the U.S. Embassy in San'a canceled travel to the two provinces "for the near future" and recommended that Americans avoid the area.

Spain has also issued warnings about the area.

Al Qaeda has an active presence in Yemen, the ancestral home of Osama bin Laden, despite government efforts to fight the terror network. Al Qaeda was blamed for the 2000 bombing of the USS Cole in Aden that killed 17 American sailors and the attack on a French oil tanker that killed one person two years later.

Yemen was a haven for Islamists from across the Arab world during the 1990s, but after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, it declared support for the U.S. campaign against international terrorism. Its crackdown on militants has suffered a number of setbacks, however, such as the February 2006 prison breakout of 23 convicts — some of whom had been jailed for al Qaeda-linked crimes.

Foreign interests in Yemen often face low-level threats and tourists are frequently kidnapped by tribes seeking to win concessions from the government, either better services or the release of jailed relatives. Most of the hostages have been released unharmed.


© MMVII, CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Add a Comment See all 37 Comments
by grazinggoat July 2, 2007 3:36 PM PDT
OH No, way to comment today. I'm gonna die because of that...
Reply to this comment
by grazinggoat July 2, 2007 3:39 PM PDT
I meant not being able to comment on other articles... Is it sleeping day at CBS?
Reply to this comment
by ivandrago July 2, 2007 3:58 PM PDT
I just noticed the delay put on potentially emotional articles. I can kind of understand why they are doing this.

Since CBS has allowed comments to be posted it has turned into a place where anonymous individuals could post unfiltered hate speech and personal attacks.

I've never posted anything verbally vulgar so I'm sure my post will make it. Stop drinking that Hater-aid! Peace.
Reply to this comment
by radiob-2009 July 2, 2007 4:08 PM PDT
Perhaps some of the rhetoric became to violent and hateful in nature, or it could it be related to the attacks in the UK and Yemen?
Reply to this comment
by micma-2009 July 2, 2007 4:13 PM PDT


It's clear that we must now invade Yemen because Al Qaeda is obviously there. We must fight them in Yemen so that we don't have to fight them at home. Right?


Reply to this comment
by hungry1968 July 2, 2007 4:17 PM PDT
I don't think so. You can post on some articles, and then the whole comment section goes away. Then you come back a few minutes later, and the comments are there but not your post. It looks like it's just good old fashioned broke.
Reply to this comment
by xzavierbrown July 2, 2007 4:19 PM PDT
CBS/AP) An al Qaeda suicide bomber drove into a convoy of Spanish tourists visiting an ancient Yemeni temple, officials said, killing seven Spaniards and two Yemenis less than two weeks after a U.S. terror warning about the area.


******

chances are this information was gathered using UNCONVENTIONAL methods..this is the same methods that liberals and the DNC are RELENTLESSLY ATTACKING. the only time the liberals and the DNC would realize the importance of information IS WHEN IT HITS HOME and thier property, thier own life and limb and thier loved ones are in imminent danger. And they themselves WOULD NOT CARE IF WE PULL THIS INFORMATION out of a so-called "innocent peace loving muslim's" arse
Reply to this comment
by hungry1968 July 2, 2007 4:29 PM PDT
Posted by xzavierbrown at 04:19 PM : Jul 02, 2007

You're pretty bright. You obviously agree with the administration's torturing people to get information, but why are they torturing people 3 years after they've been captured? They're cut off from all contact with the outside world, so what kind of information are they going to get out of them? Also, ABC news reported that America had intelligence that Glasgow's airport was going to be attacked two weeks ago. If the torture is producing such wonderful and excellent information, then why wasn't the Glasgow and Yemen attacks prevented? Why was the Bush administration given information about 9/11 two months before it happened, and did nothing about it? I'm considered liberal, but I'm not against torture IF IT MAKES SENSE and the practice isn't abused as it currently is.
Reply to this comment
by toolmangler-2009 July 2, 2007 4:34 PM PDT
Does this mean that Al Qaeda hates yemen as well as America and Britain???? Or is it their turn in the barrel?
Reply to this comment
by toolmangler-2009 July 2, 2007 4:39 PM PDT
but why are they torturing people 3 years after they've been captured?

Posted by hungry1968 at 04:29 PM : Jul 02, 2007

They (the administration) didn't get the 'truth' they wanted the first time, so "If at first you don't succeed.... Ad nauseam ....
Reply to this comment
by hungry1968 July 2, 2007 4:45 PM PDT
Does this mean that Al Qaeda hates yemen as well as America and Britain???? Or is it their turn in the barrel?
Posted by ToolMangler at 04:34 PM : Jul 02, 2007

No - they attacked a convoy of Spaniards. It wasn't an attack against Yemen itself, but against the foreigners in the convoy.
Reply to this comment
by hungry1968 July 2, 2007 4:50 PM PDT
Does this mean that Al Qaeda hates yemen as well as America and Britain???? Or is it their turn in the barrel?
Posted by ToolMangler at 04:34 PM : Jul 02, 2007

No - they attacked a convoy of Spaniards. It wasn't an attack against Yemen itself, but against the foreigners in the convoy.
Reply to this comment
by sharncedar July 2, 2007 5:07 PM PDT
So, are we happy with our escalation of the "war against Muslims"? Everybody happy? Like the results? - hey next we can go kick apart a wasp's nest and prove how smart we are.

The key to smart survival is not to be a target. What an insane nation that willfully picks a fight with a bunch of crazies. What is interesting to me is how long will it take before Americans are ready to take it back, until they realize it was better just to suppress Israel and leave the Muslims alone. Will it be 10 more years, or 20?

This is a textbook exercise in sheer stupidity. Why not just leave thse nuts alone or encourage them to attack Russia or something.
Reply to this comment
by notblue July 2, 2007 5:18 PM PDT
Al Queda hates everyone not in goose step with there6th century ideology. WE DID NOT PICK THE FIGHT!!! THEY DID!!! Anyone who believes that a "gentler kinder" approch to combatting the barbarism of the militants is the answer purposely ignores the last 30 years of violence. Yes the violence is escalating but that's NOT AMERICAS FAULT, IT"S AL QEUDA"S FAULT!!! If the Jihadists would live in peace and allow it there would be no war on terror. The indiscriminately bomb anyone they choose tom whatever the flavor of the week is. You can join them or fight them that's the choice THEY HAVE GIVEN the free world! Wake up LIBERAL LOSERS to the real threat to the modern free world before it's too late!
Reply to this comment
by radiob-2009 July 2, 2007 5:20 PM PDT
And the$64,000 question is how to eliminate all forms of hatred, violence and greed? Most of these perversions and phobias are taught when individuals are young and there mind is still impressionable despite a great many of these individuals that have spawned some of the most the hedious crimes against humanity being educated and wealthy.Three of the men arrested in the UK attacks are doctors they obviously are educated and have some degree of wealth. Osama Bin Laden and David Duke both are wealthy and educated but continue to spread their message of hate.Is it the dark soul of man that is prevailing or is it a biological aberration that allows the sickness to overide all reasoning? Some would wish to place the fault of this at the footsteps of religion and history would corroborate but could never explain the violence that preceded religion.In other words the dark soul of man sired this beast of hatred.
Reply to this comment
by hungry1968 July 2, 2007 5:22 PM PDT
Wake up LIBERAL LOSERS to the real threat to the modern free world before it's too late!
Posted by notblue at 05:18 PM : Jul 02, 2007

George Bush poses a bigger threat to modern free world than the terrorists do. I get a cold chill down my spine every time I think that he's the one with his finger on the nuclear button. He's clearly delusional and should probably be locked in a mental institution.
Reply to this comment
by radiob-2009 July 2, 2007 5:30 PM PDT
hungry1968
Although Bush brought us in to a war Iraq that was not justified the attacks against the US have been occuring at least since 1973 from plane hijackings and explosions to embassy attacks. Has Bush made the matter worse by invading Iraq? The NIE report states that the war has created a breeding ground of terrorist. I am no supporter of Bush. The age old question remains how to eliminate hatred, violence and greed which is the root of all of this.
Reply to this comment
by feelfree1 July 2, 2007 5:35 PM PDT
Related:

Not long ago, the CIA executed and American citizen in Yemen, using an unmanned drone, and without any due process- based only on their claimed 'intelligence', and we all know what that is worth.

"American killed in CIA's Yemen attack"

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/2416403.stm

###

'SharnCedar',

You are in top form.
Reply to this comment
by notblue July 2, 2007 5:38 PM PDT
Hungry1968, how would you like Osam Bin Ladens finger on the button? If Osama had his finger on the button America would be DESTROYED by now. Be thankful Bush doesn't have the radical mentality of Al QUEDA or the middle east would be ONE BIG ASHTRAY by now!
Reply to this comment
by radiob-2009 July 2, 2007 5:46 PM PDT
Re: Reply

An American citizen was among the six al Qaeda suspects killed in a car explosion in Yemen over the weekend, according to a Yemeni official.
All the men who died were described by the official as "dangerous".

The six were killed when their car exploded in Marib province east of the capital Sanaa on Sunday.

"Investigations by Yemeni authorities found that Harthi was accompanied by five dangerous members of the al Qaeda network who were not ordinary passengers," the Yemeni official said.

The US national was identified by a government newspaper as Ahmed Hijazi.


Hijazi may have been the ringleader/recruiter of the later convicted Buffalo Six, also known as the Lackawanna Six, a domestic terrorist cell of Yemeni-American United States citizens formerly living in Lackawanna, New York (near Buffalo). [2] [3]

After their arrests in September 2002, following four to eight months of investigations, the six cell members were charged with providing material support to al-Qaeda. The U.S. prisoners reportedly then cooperated with investigators, which may have then led to information targeting Hijazi later that year. The six cell members later pled guilty.

Hijazi was traveling with Abu Ali al-Harithi, a suspected mastermind of the October 12, 2000 USS Cole bombing which had killed 17 American sailors, and injured 39 others, off the port coast of Aden, Yemen.

Reply to this comment
by feelfree1 July 2, 2007 5:50 PM PDT

Re: "An al Qaeda suicide bomber drove into a convoy of Spanish tourists visiting an ancient Yemeni temple, officials said"

"but authorities linked the suicide bomber to al Qaeda."

Thank you, CBS, for this fascinating report. I was not sure who I was supposed to hate and fear this week. Thank you for making this 'link' for us.

No need for any verification or to present any evidence of these claims.

Vacuous and unsupported allegations, made by anonymous officials, and presented by unnamed 'journalists', are good enough for me.
Reply to this comment
by radiob-2009 July 2, 2007 5:54 PM PDT
Vacuous and unsupported allegations, made by anonymous officials, and presented by unnamed 'journalists', are good enough for me.

Posted by FeelFree1


Do you have any idea of intel works? Should those that are working in intel be exposed? Reporters have been constantly under attack in the middle east, the sancity of being anoymous or the threat of death by being known.
Reply to this comment
by aaabee-2009 July 2, 2007 5:56 PM PDT
But!

The George Bush School at the Texas A & M University offers the following graduate certificate in international relations:

"Certificate in Advanced International Affairs"
Reply to this comment
by radiob-2009 July 2, 2007 5:57 PM PDT
Libby was just pardoned, what a injustice.How many lives did he endanger by outing Valerie Plame?
Reply to this comment
by radiob-2009 July 2, 2007 6:04 PM PDT
More on this attack

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/rtrs/20070702/tpl-uk-yemen-blast-qaeda-aa3debf.html

http://www.iht.com/articles/2007/07/02/news/yemen.php

http://cbs2chicago.com/topstories/topstories_story_183112754.html

http://www.canada.com/topics/news/world/story.html?id=9a2a8f37-1d7f-47a5-82d4-31108d33b723&k=56715
Reply to this comment
by hungry1968 July 2, 2007 6:08 PM PDT
Libby was just pardoned, what a injustice.How many lives did he endanger by outing Valerie Plame?
Posted by radiob at 05:57 PM : Jul 02, 2007

You knew it was coming. Libby could have shot and killed a class room full of elementary school kids, and this pig would have pardoned him. The law was broken, and because he's a political hack, he gets to walk away from jail.

It's perfectly in line with his ignoring the will of the American people, the Constitution, and the rule of law.

They're all scum*bags - top to bottom. But especially the one at the top.
Reply to this comment
by feelfree1 July 2, 2007 6:09 PM PDT
radiob,

You appear to be attempting to engage me in a discussion.

I will remind you that recently you have attributed a vicious quote to me which I did not state, you have attributed a religious affiliation to me which is unsupported and incorrect, and you have repeatedly insisted that I acknowledge a meaningless 'right' allegedly retained by a certain country, whose very creation was a bad idea, in my opinion.

I would expect an apology for these previous acts, if you would hope to have future discussions with me.
Reply to this comment
by radiob-2009 July 2, 2007 6:11 PM PDT
They're all scum*bags - top to bottom. But especially the one at the top.
Posted by hungry1968


And look at the candiates running for president,trade in one Yugo for a Escort.
Reply to this comment
by radiob-2009 July 2, 2007 6:16 PM PDT
CBS must be monitoring the daylights out of these boards or they have a server problem virtually every story is closed down for comments including the one on Libby all in the space of seconds.To many hate filled posts.
Reply to this comment
by feelfree1 July 2, 2007 6:28 PM PDT

Re: "We could not recognizes what kind of cars they were, we just saw small parts of them here and there, and dead bodies were burning,"

Wow! And yet they were able to 'link' the driver to 'al Qaeda'. This is an astounding bit of police work...almost hard to believe, but CBS has indicated that it is to be 'believed', so who am I to question their findings?
Reply to this comment
by radiob-2009 July 2, 2007 7:01 PM PDT
No one claimed responsibility for the attack, but security officials said they had received information last month about a possible Al Qaeda attack. The officials said Al Qaeda had demanded the release of some of its members jailed in the Arab state and that Sana reconsider its cooperation with Washington.

"Preliminary information indicates that the al-Qaeda organisation is behind the cowardly attack," an interior ministry official told the Sabam news agency.






"This criminal attack has killed seven Spanish tourists and two Yemeni nationals who worked as drivers and tourist guides, and wounded six Spanish tourists and two [Yemeni] nationals."


From AL Jazzera
http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/EA1EE031-5332-43BE-BE0C-15B9483348E4.htm
Reply to this comment
by feelfree1 July 2, 2007 7:16 PM PDT

***I*** ***hope*** ***the*** ***web*** ***administrators*** ***at*** ***CBS*** ***are*** ***able*** ***to*** ***restore*** ***the*** ***functionality*** ***of*** ***their*** ***site*** ***soon***.

***There*** ***is*** ***another*** ***current*** ***hype*** ***piece*** ***presented*** ***by*** ***Ms***. ***Lara*** ***Logan***, ***entitled*** &***quot***;***U***.***S***. ***General*** ***Points*** ***Finger*** ***At*** ***Iran***&***quot***;, ***that*** ***is*** ***in*** ***need*** ***of*** ***some*** ***reader*** ***commentary***, ***but*** ***the*** ***general*** ***clunkiness*** ***that*** ***we*** ***are*** ***experiencing*** ***in*** ***this*** ***site***, ***appears*** ***to*** ***have*** ***left*** ***the*** ***comment*** ***section*** ***for*** ***that*** ***article***, ***unusable***.

***I*** ***look*** ***forward*** ***to*** ***the*** ***CBS*** ***technicians*** ***resolving*** ***these*** ***problems***.
Reply to this comment
by afmca July 2, 2007 8:00 PM PDT
Another fine example of the courage and integrity of the Islamic terrorist movement. I bet Allah would be proud of his supposed foot soldiers. I see this and I am reminded of just how perverse these heretics of Islam really are. They should be eliminated like the cockroaches they are.
Reply to this comment
by July 2, 2007 9:57 PM PDT
Lord make good come out of this!!
Reply to this comment
by honest_news July 2, 2007 10:22 PM PDT
A bitter lesson for Yemen, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Iraq, Egypt, Lebanon, Indonesia, Pakistan, Afghanistan and all other current and former universities of Islamic Terrorism and Bestial Hatred who have had their alumni return with suicide bombs strapped to their chests:

As ye sow...
Reply to this comment
by grazinggoat July 2, 2007 10:53 PM PDT
CBS: 'No one immediately claimed responsibility for the attack, but police in Mareb said they had received information last month about a possible al Qaeda attack'.

-Another boogieman AQ...? Does this terrorist organization still exist?
Reply to this comment
by robertkjjj July 3, 2007 2:38 AM PDT
Thank you Mr Muslim, for more mindless slaughter. Just what we needed from the "religion of Peace".
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