Yemen declares Al-Qaeda free despite American concern ???

SANA’A, Feb. 18 — Saudi national Mohammed Ateek Al-Aufi Al-Harbi, one of Al-Qaeda commanders in Yemen, had surrendered to the Yemeni authorities in order to be handed over to the kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Al-Harbi was released from Guantanamo in Nov. 2007. After being treated at a counseling center in Saudi Arabia, he traveled to Yemen to re-join Al-Qaeda, especially after the Saudi clamp down on terrorism.Admiral Dennis C. Blair, the newly confirmed US Director of National Intelligence, commented last week that although Al-Qaeda today is less capable and effective than it was a year ago, Yemen and East Africa, particularly Somalia, are emerging as potential new bases of operations for Islamic extremists.Yemen’s Minister of Interior Mutahar Rashad Al-Masri however contradicted the statement in an interview with Jordanian newspaper Al-Dustour on Feb. 16, in which he said that Al-Qaeda does not exist in Yemen anymore...more..http://yementimes.com/article.shtml?i=1235&p=front&a=2