**Gordon Brown has called a summit in London to discuss radicalisation in Yemen, after the alleged failed bomb attack on a US plane over Detroit.**No 10 said the 28 January event had support from Washington and the European Union, and Mr Brown aimed to attract Saudi Arabia and Gulf states.
Alleged plane bomber Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab is believed to have linked up with al-Qaeda in Yemen.
Mr Brown has ordered a UK airport security review following the attack.
‘Wake-up call’
US FLIGHT ADVICE
- Only one item of hand luggage, including items bought airside
- BA and Virgin Atlantic not charging to check in extra hand luggage
- Passengers subject to “pat-down” searches before boarding, on top of usual security checks
- Customers to remain seated during final hour of flight
- No access to hand luggage and a ban on leaving possessions or blankets on laps during this hour
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Attack stokes Yemen terror fears
The prime minister said the meeting would involve key international partners and be held alongside the conference on the future of Afghanistan, due to be held in London on the same day.
He said: "The international community must not deny Yemen the support it needs to tackle extremism.
“I have said before that Yemen - as both an incubator and potential safe haven for terrorism - presents a regional and global threat.”
Mr Brown added that the UK had a £100m commitment to Yemen, making it one of the country’s biggest donors, and that Britain was providing assistance including intelligence support and training of counter-terror units.
Downing Street said the aims of the conference would include:
- Encouraging efforts to “build government capacity” and provide development aid to the areas at most risk of radicalisation
- Identifying Yemen’s counterterrorism needs;
- Bringing forward commitments on capacity building, military training and better co-ordination of international counter-terrorism
- Helping Yemen with economic, social and political reform
Announcing a review of existing security measures, Mr Brown said the UK would “move quickly” to enhance airport security after the “wake-up call” of the failed US plane attack on Christmas Day.
YEMEN FACTS
- Population: 23.6 million (UN, 2009)
- Capital: Sanaa
- Major language: Arabic
- Major religion: Islam
- Oil exports: $1.5bn/24.5m barrels (Jan-Oct 2009)
- Income per capita: US $950 (World Bank, 2008)
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He added that advisers would report within days and full-body scanners would be among the new technologies considered.
Mr Brown also said the alleged plane bomber, Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, who had studied in London, had joined forces with al-Qaeda in Yemen after leaving the UK.
A former close friend of Mr Abdulmutallab has also told the BBC he believes he was radicalised after leaving the country in 2008.
Qasim Rafiq knew the suspect for three years at University College London, and preceded him as president of its Islamic Society.
He says Mr Abdulmutallab had shown no signs of violent extremism while living in the UK.
‘New techniques’
Nigerian-born Mr Abdulmutallab is accused of trying to detonate a bomb on a flight as it came in to land in Detroit on Christmas Day.
US President Barack Obama has also ordered a review of air security, and Mr Brown said the UK would work alongside the US and other partners to “move things forward quickly”.
Mr Brown said the UK had one of the “toughest borders in the world” and although Mr Abdulmutallab was on a watch-list and had not been allowed into Britain, it did not “lead us to any complacency”.
The 23-year-old allegedly attempted to ignite explosives stored in his underpants. He had flown from Lagos to Amsterdam before changing planes for a flight to Detroit.
He said the UK was already one of Yemen’s leading donors and it was increasing support to its government through intelligence assistance, training of counter-terrorism units and development programmes.
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