Yemen opens tourism security unit in Sana'a

SANA'A, March 18 (Saba) - Interior Minister Mutahar al-Masri opened
Wednesday a Tourism Security Unit of the Central Security Forces.

Upon the opening of the new unit, al-Masri affirmed that combating
terrorism is not limited to the security forces only, but it is the
responsibility of all citizens, saying "the terrorist acts will not
prevent the security bodies from chasing the terrorist elements
anywhere for bringing them up before justice to be punished.

He confirmed the significance of the citizens' role in reporting on
terrorists so as to help dry up terrorism in some areas which openly
target foreign tourists and breach security and stability in general.

The Yemeni official unearthed that the security bodies have reached
information on the suicide bomber who targeted South Korean tourists
at the historical city of Shipam in Hadramout governorate, calling
on the judicial bodies to speed up trying the arrested persons
involved in terrorist acts, kidnapping and banditry.

For his part, Tourism Minster Nabil al-Faqih praised Interior
Ministry's role in securing tourists, pointing to the significance
of setting up the a tourism security unit to support the tourism in
the governorates of the country .

Furthermore, the Tourism Security Unit's Commander Colonel Mohammed
al-Qadhi reviewed the unit's security achievements in 2008 and the
tasks carried out by the unit to protect the foreign tourists which
amounted to 3909 operations in different governorates of the country.

BA/YA