YEMEN: A Yemeni man threw two grenades into a mosque during Friday prayers yesterday, killing at least two people and wounding 34 worshippers, a Yemeni security source said.
The source, who declined to be identified, said police had arrested the attacker shortly after the midday incident and were interrogating him.
He said only one of the grenades had exploded inside the mosque, in Amran province, some 60 kilometres north of the capital, Sanaa.
At least 10 of the wounded were in critical condition and had been evacuated to the capital for treatment, he added.
The motive for the attack was not immediately clear, but a Yemeni official was quoted on the website of Yemen's ruling political party as saying the attacker was mentally unstable.
Many people still carry arms and ammunition in Yemen, a poor Arab country where tribal feuds are common and arguments sometimes end in bloodshed. Yemen has also recently witnessed a number of attacks against Western targets by Islamists who are members of, or sympathise with, Osama bin Laden's al-Qaeda network.
The United States on Wednesday advised its citizens against travelling to Yemen, warning that al-Qaeda was trying to regroup there and that Americans could be targeted.
The State Department advised Americans in Yemen to register at the US embassy in Sanaa.
"The security threat to all US citizens in Yemen remains high due to continuing efforts by al-Qaeda to reconstitute an effective operating base. This could lead to possible attacks by extremist individuals or groups against US citizens, facilities, businesses and perceived interests," the State Department said.
It said US citizens in Yemen should avoid crowds, keep a low profile and be particularly cautious at public facilities frequented by foreigners.
In May, the State Department ordered the departure of nonemergency workers and family members at the US embassy, citing credible reports that terrorists had planned attacks against US interests.