Yemeni militant group denies death of al-Qaida member

Ansar al-Sharia distributes leaflets calling al-Banna's killing "lies," claims responsibility for blast at France's Total gas pipeline.

By REUTERS
Total gas pipeline (photo credit: Reuters)
Total gas pipeline
(photo credit: Reuters)
ADEN - An Islamist group linked to al Qaida has denied that its media chief was killed in an air raid in southern Yemen two weeks ago.
The group, Ansar al-Sharia (Partisans of Islamic Law), also took responsibility for an explosion at France's Total gas pipeline in mid-October that halted supplies to the Belhaf LNG plant.
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In leaflets distributed in mosques and markets in Yemen's southern Shabwa province, it described government reports of Ibrahim al-Banna's killing as "lies."
"We denounce American attacks on the Arabian Peninsula which is based on crusader thinking," said the leaflet, referring to US drone attacks in Yemen. "The blood of Muslims will not be spilled in vain."
Yemen's government says Ansar al-Sharia is the Yemeni wing of al Qaida. Some analysts say other local militant Islamist groups could be at work.
Months of protests against President Ali Abdullah Saleh's 33-year rule have weakened already loose central government control over whole swathes of the country.
Neighboring Saudi Arabia and the United States fear militants including al Qaida's Arabian Peninsula branch (AQAP) are exploiting growing lawlessness in the impoverished state and firming their foothold there.
The leaflets said the Yemeni government had often taken credit for killing militants, only for them to turn up alive later on. Al Qaida usually hails the death of its members or affiliates in postings on Internet forums.