Brown orders suspension of Yemen flights
Brown orders suspension of Yemen flights
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By Matt Hallam. |  |
Wednesday, 20, Jan 2010 05:02
By Sarah Garrod.
All direct flights between the UK and Yemen have been suspended with immediate effect, Gordon Brown has announced.
In a statement following prime minister's questions today, Mr Brown told the House of Commons he wanted to enhance the security and protection of the British people.
The prime minister told MPs while it was known the greatest terrorist threat to the west came from the border region between Afghanistan and Pakistan, al-Qaida was now looking to expand into other areas, in particular Yemen.
He added: "I hope that flights can be resumed soon but the security of our citizens is paramount."
The UK embassy in Yemen closed for a few days at the beginning of the month following a series of alleged threats by an affiliate of al-Qaida. The stepping up of counter-terrorism measures by both the US and UK governments follows the failed attempt to blow up a Detroit-bound plane on Christmas Day.
The alleged bomber on board the flight, Nigerian Umar Farouk Abdul Mutallab, is believed to have been trained by al-Qaida groups in Yemen.
In his new year message earlier this year, Mr Brown described Yemen as "both an incubator and potential safe haven for terrorism" which continues to present a global threat.
"To this end, we are already building further our support for the government of Yemen's efforts to tackle the underlying causes of the terrorist threat through intelligence support, training of counter-terror units, capacity building and development programmes," he said.
But following today's statement Conservative leader David Cameron said it was UK universities which were acting as an "incubator" for terrorism, and called for the government to do more on home turf. The suspected Detroit bomber spent a number of years living in London and studying at University College London.
Mr Cameron said: "The Detroit bomber didn't go to Yemen first, he was radicalised in the UK.
"Too many of our university campuses have tolerated organisations which act as incubators for terrorists."