U.S. Charges 2 Yemeni Nationals With al-Qaeda Link, Plot to Kill Americans
The United States announced Tuesday that two Yemeni nationals have been arrested with an alleged plot to murder Americans abroad.
A complaint and arrest warrant filed by the U.S. Justice Department claims that the two Yemeni nationals, Saddiq Al-Abbadi and Ali Alvi, were charged with plotting to murder Americans abroad, as well as providing material support to the al-Qaeda terrorist organization.
According to the complaint, an American witness who cooperated with U.S. investigators claims al-Avvadi and Alvi helped him join al Qaeda in Pakistan back in 2007. The witness also accuses the two suspects of fighting American military forces in Afghanistan back in 2008.
Prosecutors allege that the two suspects also trained with al Qaeda in Pakistan, reportedly attending military-like basic weapons and explosives courses.
Both Avvadi and Alvi have reportedly been expedited to the U.S. and appeared in federal court last Sunday.
Several countries have been participating in a crackdown of domestic terrorism since the Islamic State terror group gained power in 2014.
Following the Charlie Hebdo terror attack in Paris earlier in January, both France and Belgium have held anti-terror raids angled at arrested those affiliated with the recent attack.
In Belgium, authorities foiled a plot to allegedly kill police officers in over a dozen raids in one day. During the raids, police discovered military-style weapons and police uniforms, suggesting the extremists were planning to dress up as police officers and then attack.
Despite the massive raid and multiple arrests, Federal magistrate Eric Van der Sypt told ABC News: "I cannot confirm that we arrested everyone in this group."
