Qaeda Thursday and warned its citizens against aiding the global militant group, but clerics threatened jihad if foreign military forces intervene. Yemen has come under pressure to act against Al-Qaeda since attacks on Saudi Arabia and the United States by militants coming from Yemeni soil. But facing an array of other threats, weak state control of much of the country, a burgeoning population and a weak economy, analysts say Yemen will need more than military might to stop the country from being a fertile breeding ground for militancy. “Security forces are launching a wide campaign against Al-Qaeda elements, and we have an open war with them,” a security official told Reuters, speaking on condition of anonymity. The Defense Ministry's online newspaper “September 26”, quoting an unnamed security source, said the war was open against Al-Qaeda militants “whenever or wherever we find those elements”. “The source warned citizens against hiding any elements from the Al-Qaeda organization, calling for cooperation with the security apparatus and for them to inform on any elements,” September 26 said. Yemeni security forces scoured rugged mountains for a second day using helicopters to hunt for some 25 suspected Al-Qaeda militants who fled raids Tuesday in the southeastern province of Shabwa, security sources said. A group of prominent clerics has warned it will call for jihad, or holy war, if the US sends troops to fight Al-Qaeda in Yemen. The group of 15 religious leaders includes the highly influential Sheikh Abdul-Majid Al-Zindani, whom the US has branded a spiritual mentor of Osama Bin Laden. Their warning goes straight to the Yemeni government's dilemma in cooperating with Washington against an Al-Qaeda offshoot in the country. In doing so, the regime must avoid upsetting Al-Zindani and other radical figures whose support it needs to stay in power.
