2008 American Embassy attack in Yemen

Infobox civilian attack
title=2008 Yemeni American embassy attack


caption=Map of Yemen showing Sana'a governorate
location=San‘a’, San‘a’ Governorate
target=American Embassy
date=September 17, 2008
time=9:15 a.m.
timezone=UTC+3
type=Car bomb, rocket attack, ambush
fatalities=19
injuries=At least 16
perps=,
potentially al-Qaeda
motive=Terrorism, to provoke the release of imprisoned extremist members [ [http://www.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idUSREE77062120080918 reuters.com, Yemen arrests 19 after U.S. embassy attack] ] The Embassy of the United States in San‘a’, Yemen was attacked on September 17, 2008 resulting in 19 deaths [ [http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/09/21/news/ML-Yemen-US-Embassy.php Death toll in Yemen US embassy attack rises to 19] ] and injured at least 16. Six attackers, six Yemeni police, and seven civilians were killed.cite news|url=http://www.mlive.com/newsflash/index.ssf?/base/international-45/1221696856312410.xml&storylist=international|title=16 dead in attack at US Embassy in Yemen|last=Shemm|first=Paul|coauthors=Al-Haj, Ahmed|date=2008-09-18|publisher=MLive|accessdate=2008-09-18] cite news|url=http://www.csmonitor.com/2008/0918/p07s02-wome.html|title=U.S. Embassy hit in Yemen, raising militancy concerns|last=Bauer|first=Shane|date=2008-09-18|publisher=Christian Science Monitor|accessdate=2008-09-18] This attack was the second occurring in the same year, after a mortar attack earlier in 2008 on March 18 missed the embassy and instead hit a nearby girls' school.cite news|url=http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=afHE5JQEJyII&refer=home|title=U.S.'s Yemen Embassy Attacked by Militants; 16 Killed (Update5) |last=Derhally|first=Massoud A.|coauthors=Hall, Camilla|date=2008-09-17|publisher=Bloomberg|accessdate=2008-09-18] Islamic Jihad of Yemen, an al Qaeda affiliate, has claimed responsibility for the attack.

The attack

The attack began at 09:15 a.m. local time (06:15 a.m. UTC) when terrorists dressed as policemen, armed with rocket-propelled grenades, automatic rifles, grenades, and vehicle bombs, [ [http://freeinternetpress.com/story.php?sid=18386 freeinternetpress.com, Al-Qaeda Blamed For Attack Against U.S. Embassy In Yemen] ] attacked the outer security ring at the entrance of the main gate from a car.cite news|url=http://www.csmonitor.com/2008/0918/p07s02-wome.html|title=U.S. Embassy hit in Yemen, raising militancy concerns|last=Bauer|first=Shane|date=2008-09-18|publisher=Christian Science Monitor|accessdate=2008-09-18] The embassy, located in the Dhahr Himyar district of San‘a’, is located 250 meters (820 feet) from this security entrance. A 20-minute battle ensued between the terrorists and the embassy security force, during which some embassy security forces were fired upon by snipers from across the road.cite news|url=http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5iqrhSsoaEWOZh-6VxL709JlBSGxwD938FU2G0|title=US official: Up to 5 explosions at Yemen embassy|last=Lee|first=Matthew|date=2008-09-17|publisher=AP|accessdate=2008-09-18] In the midst of the battle, a car bomb exploded at a second security ring of concrete blocks in an unsuccessful attempt to blow a hole in the wall. Up to five explosions may have occurred during the attack.

Six members of the Yemeni security forces, six attackers (one of whom wore an explosives belt), and seven bystanders (one of whom was discovered later [ [http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/19/world/middleeast/19briefs-30AREARRESTE_BRF.html?ref=world nytimes.com, Yemen: 30 Are Arrested After Attack on U.S. Embassy] ] ) were killed in the attack. Though no Americans working at the embassy were injured or harmed during the attack, Susan el-Baneh, a newly married woman from New York, was killed along with her Yemeni husband while waiting outside to fill out paperwork. At least sixteen people, mostly women and children, were treated at two hospitals for injuries.cite news|url=http://www.arabnews.com/?page=4&section=0&article=114454&d=18&m=9&y=2008|title=US Embassy in Yemen attacked: US condemns assault that killed 16|last=Al-Mahdi|first=Khaled|date=2008-09-17|publisher=Arab New|accessdate=2008-09-18]

Lackawanna, New York Yemeni-American Susan el-Baneh (Elbaneh), age 18, wed a Yemeni in August (in a traditional arranged marriage). She went to Yemen partly to help her new Yemeni husband obtain approval to enter the United States, and both spouses were in a line of civilians waiting to enter the embassy when the attackers opened fire. The Associated Press said Susan Elbaneh was a cousin of Jaber A. Elbaneh, who is on the FBI's list of most wanted terrorism suspects. Elbaneh's family said she had no relationship with her cousin and her sister Shokey Elbaneh commented "Like the people killed in 9/11, people killed in terrorist acts all over the place, we're the same victims." [ [http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/18/AR2008091800557.html?hpid=sec-world washingtonpost.com, Toll in Yemen Rises, Includes American] ]

Responsibility and arrests

The Islamic Jihad of Yemen, an al Qaeda affiliate, has claimed responsibility for the attacks. The group also threatened future attacks against other embassies, including those of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and the United Kingdom.

It released a statement: "We will carry out the rest of the series of attacks on the other embassies that were declared previously, until our demands are met by the Yemeni government."cite news|url=http://www.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idUSREE77062120080918|title=Yemen arrests 19 after U.S. embassy attack|date=2008-09-19|publisher=Reuters|accessdate=2008-09-19] Meanwhile, on September 18, 2008, Yemeni authorities arrested 30 suspects [ [http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/19/world/middleeast/19briefs-30AREARRESTE_BRF.html?ref=world nytimes.com, Yemen: 30 Are Arrested After Attack on U.S. Embassy] ] allegedly connected to Al-Qaeda. [http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5gPT0H4QNxbnAnToQZo5c3pTkPk7AD9395SBG5] Foreign Minister Abou Bakr al-Qurbi said: "The attack on the U.S. Embassy was retaliation by al-Qaeda for the measures taken by the government to fight the terrorists." United States Department of State spokesman Sean McCormack said that "the multi-phased attack bore all the hallmarks of al-Qaeda."

ee also

*List of terrorist incidents, 2008
*United States–Yemen relations

References