Al Qaeda behind attack on US embassy in Yemen

AP/CNN:

An al Qaeda terror cell was behind a mortar strike against the U.S. Embassy in Yemen that missed its target but killed a security guard and wounded 13 students at a nearby school, an Interior Ministry official said Saturday.

The official, speaking on customary condition of anonymity, said al Qaeda militant Hamza al-Dayan launched three mortars at the embassy Tuesday before fleeing in a vehicle with three accomplices.

The mortar shells crashed into the school in the downtown Sawan district of Sanaa, killing the security guard and wounding 13 schoolgirls, three grievously.

On Thursday, the police arrested five suspects in the attack. It was not clear if they have any connection to al-Dayan and his men, who remain at large.

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There have been other attacks on the Yemen US embassy. This one want enhance al Qaeda's reputation. In fact they are looking like the gang that could not shoot straight. They are also looking pretty cowardly at this point. Popping off three mortar rounds and running does not have the impact of a human bomb attack which actually hits its target rather than a school ground nearby. It is really evidence of how weak al Qaeda has become as a result of the relentless US campaign against the terrorist.