U.S. concerned over Yemen al-qaida unit

Intelligence bulletin cites possible new plots by terrorist group.

WASHINGTON — U.S. counterterrorism officials are concerned about al-qaida’s affiliate in Yemen because of increased intelligence chatter in the past several months. And in recent weeks, the group’s top bomb maker — once thought to be dead — has resurfaced, The Associated Press has learned.

While the intelligence community sees no credible or specific threat related to the oneyear anniversary of Osama bin Laden’s death, counterterrorism officials remain anxious about the Yemen group.

The group, al-qaida in the Arabian Peninsula, or AQAP, has been a major threat since 2009, when one of its followers tried to bring down a jetliner over Detroit on Christmas.

In the past six months, counterterrorism officials have seen an uptick in intelligence about potential threats from the group, according to an intelligence official speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive information. The group has twice tried to attack U.s.-bound flights and is considered the most dangerous alQaida affiliate.

The man behind AQAP’S ingenious bombs has re-emerged on the U.S. radar after going underground since a drone strike in 2011 killed one of the Yemen group’s top leaders, Anwar alAwlaki.

In the hours after the strike, U.S. intelligence officials believed bomb maker Ibrahim Hassan al-asiri was also killed. But two days later, Yemeni officials said al-asiri was not in the vehicle that was hit.

Officials are worried that the terror group “intends to advance plots along multiple fronts, including renewed efforts to target Western aviation,” according to a joint intelligence bulletin circulated Wednesday from U.S. Northern Command, the FBI and the Homeland Security Department. The Associated Press obtained a copy of the bulletin.