Qaeda trained for attacks in Arabian Sea: report

Western intelligence warned Gulf states that al-Qaeda is on the verge of launching attacks mainly on ships after regrouping in the past few months, the al-Qabas daily reported Thursday.

Citing unnamed Kuwaiti security sources, the daily said al-Qaeda has trained operatives in the region to carry out attacks on war, commercial and passenger vessels in the Gulf and Arabian Sea.

Western intelligence has urged Gulf states to boost security measures to provide protection for ships, especially oil and gas tankers, the Kuwaiti security sources said.

The al-Qaeda network has been able to regroup over the past few months, taking advantage of deteriorating security in Somalia and Yemen, and has successfully established command and control bases in the two countries, the sources said.

They added that al-Qaeda operatives in Somalia have in recent weeks captured advanced weapons from government forces and transferred them to their counterparts in Yemen.

Western intelligence also provided Gulf states with names and locations of new al-Qaeda command posts in Somalia and names of field commanders and members in Gulf states most of whom unknown previously, the added.

Yemeni security forces on Wednesday captured Mohammad al-Hanq, a key al-Qaeda leader, and two other militants believed behind threats against Western interests.

The arrest came as Yemen's authorities said al-Qaeda jihadists were being choked countrywide and forced into "holes."