据英国媒体报道,英国政府1月3日宣布,英国首相布朗和美国总统奥巴马已经同意联手资助也门反恐部门,以支持该国打击国内恐怖主义势力。

US, Britain agree to combat terrorism in Yemen

The US and Britain have agreed to fund a counter-terrorism police unit in Yemen. The cooperation came after US President Barack Obama announced the failed Christmas plane attack was linked to an al-Qaida affiliate in Yemen.

US officials say civil war and lawlessness are turning Yemen into a base for al Qaeda.

Britain is willing to intensify joint work with the US to tackle the emerging terrorist threat.

Saturday, the British Prime Minister's office announced several cooperative measures. Besides funding a counter-terrorism police unit in Yemen, the two countries will also cooperate in supporting the Yemeni coast guard.

Barack Obama, US President, said, "I've made it a priority to strengthen our partnership with the Yemeni government, training and equipping their security forces, sharing intelligence and working with them to strike al Qaida terrorists."

Obama says the Nigerian suspect who tried to bomb the Detroit-bound plane over Christmas appears to be a member of al Qaeda. He was trained and equipped by the Islamic militant network in Yemen.

Yemen has now tightened security along its coastline to prevent Islamist militants infiltrating from Somalia.

Saturday, Yemen's president met a top US general to discuss boosting military cooperation.

Washington is considering more than doubling its 70 million dollars security assistance to Yemen. It hopes such cooperation will eliminate al Qaeda leadership in Yemen.

Yemen says there could be up to 300 al Qaeda militants in the country, some of whom may be planning attacks on Western targets.