Security forces put on high alert -
By Asim al Sheidi -
MUSCAT — Sayyid Badr bin Hamad al Busaidy, Secretary-General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, has said that the security departments have received information about the infiltration of elements of Al Qaeda into the Sultanate from Yemen and that the security forces are investigating the information before taking action. Sayyid Badr added that the information is not fully confirmed so far.
In an exclusive statement to Oman, Arabic sister daily of the Observer, Sayyid Badr denied that arrest of any of the said elements by the security forces here.
He stressed that “this is a top security matter and a highly sensitive issue that should remain within a limited frame among the parties concerned”, but when there exists a need to elaborate, more details will be released in future.
Sayyid Badr explained that “the matter comes within the context of the various developments and threats being witnessed by the region and the world at large, and we are no exception.”
Sayyid Badr reaffirmed that the security forces are closely following up the matter and are fully shouldering their responsibility to deter any threat that might constitute a risk, not only for the Sultanate, but also for the grouping of the region countries in general.
The matter will also be dealt with in the context of the existing co-ordination and communication between the Sultanate and the countries of the region, said Sayyid Badr, who reiterated that such contacts are an ongoing process between our countries.
Earlier, security data circulated in the media emphasised the sneaking of members of Al Qaeda through the borders between the Sultanate and Yemen in the backdrop of harsh confrontation between the insurgents and the Yemeni army, which defeated what was known as the “Emirate of Azzan” in the Yemeni Governorate of Shabwa.
Earlier, Yemeni troops took control on Saturday of the southeastern town of Azzan, a known Al Qaeda bastion, after the group’s fighters left it a week ago, an Yemeni official said.
