Yemen takes al-Qaida threats seriously: FM

SANAA, Feb. 10 (Xinhua) -- Yemeni Foreign Minister Abu Bakr al-Qurbi said Wednesday his government "takes al-Qaida's threat seriously," as al-Qaida poses threat "not to Yemen only, but to the world," the military-run website 26sep.net reported.

"The government takes al-Qaida's threat seriously as it poses threat not to the security of Yemen only, but to the worldwide security and peace," said al-Qurbi, as quoted by website 26sep.net.

"The Yemeni government is responsible for protecting its regional waters and the security agencies will deal with such terrorist's threat."

The "pre-emptive security strikes against al-Qaida, launched by the Yemeni security and military forces over the past two months, have achieved their objectives," he added.

The minister made the remarks in response to Said Ali al-Shihri, deputy leader of the Yemeni-based wing of al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula, who said his militants plan to seize control on Bab al- Mandab Strait linking the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.

In an audiotape posted on the Internet on Sunday, Shihri called on al-Qaida militants to "make preparation for waging a long jihad against the Western interests and its agents in the Yemeni government."

On Tuesday, Yemen's Interior Ministry, in response to the threats made by al-Qaida, vowed "there will be no truce with terrorists, and security agencies will continue to strike their hideouts and tracked them down around the clock, wherever they are. "

"Threats made by al-Qaida group from time to time will not intimidate the (Yemeni) security agencies, which reflect despair and isolation of the terrorist elements in Yemen," said the Interior Ministry in a statement.

Yemen, facing armed rebellion in the north and growing separatist movement in the south, has launched security and military campaigns, including air raids against al-Qaida militants, in provinces of Abyan, Shabwa, Marib and al-Ajashir district of al-Jawf province.