Yemen claims to foil major Al Qaeda plot

The Yemen government claims to have foiled an Al Qaeda plot to destroy oil pipelines and seize control of two major ports late Tuesday, hours after Western nations withdrew their diplomats based on intelligence that signaled a serious and unspecified threat.

"There were attempts to control key cities in Yemen like Mukala and Bawzeer," Yemeni government spokesman Rajeh Badi told the BBC. "This would be co-ordinated with attacks by Al Qaeda members on the gas facilities in Shebwa city and the blowing up of the gas pipe in Belhaf city."

In addition, Yemen security forces claim what was likely a United States drone strike killed at least seven alleged terrorists in the south when six missiles destroyed two vehicles in the Shabwa province. It's the fifth strike in less than two weeks.

Last week Washington closed 21 diplomatic posts in the Middle East and Africa — and 19 remain shut. Britain, France, Germany and Norway have also closed embassies and consulates.

Officials said they had intercepted communications between high-ranking militants, including Al Qaeda's Ayman al-Zawahiri and Yemen's terrorist leader, Nasser al-Wuhayshi. 

The government in Sanaa criticized the Western nations' defensive move, saying it understood the need for safety, but that the withdrawal "serves the interests of the extremists."

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Yemen, one of the poorest Muslim nations, has struggled against Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, or AQAP, a dangerous and active terrorist group that has been linked to high-profile attacks against the US.

On Monday, Yemen released a list of 25 "most wanted terrorists" suspected of plotting attacks against foreign and government offices towards the end of Ramadan and the upcoming Eid-al-Fitr holiday. The government says it will offer about $23,000 for information that leads to their capture. 

In related news, unidentified sources told the BBC's "Newsnight" program that US special forces are being prepared for possible operations against AQAP, saying the Joint Special Operations Command could send units on attack missions.  

The travel warning for Americans is still in effect in a number of countries, including Yemen. On Tuesday the State Department warned US citizens of "the high security threat level in Yemen due to terrorist activities and civil unrest." 

"The Department urges US citizens to defer travel to Yemen and those US citizens currently living in Yemen to depart immediately," its advisory said.