US asks Yemen for ’forceful action’ against Al-Qaeda

The United States on Friday called on Yemen to step up its fight against Al-Qaeda and terrorism one year after a botched attempt to blow up a US passenger plane by a Nigerian with Yemeni links.

Counter-terrorism advisor John Brennan called Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh "to emphasize the importance of taking forceful action against Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) in order to thwart its plans to carry out terrorist attacks in Yemen as well as in other countries, including in the US Homeland," the White House said in a statement.

Brennan stressed the need for cooperation between the two countries, "including the timely acquisition of all relevant information from individuals arrested by Yemeni security forces."