Yemen investigates 43, including foreigners, for links with Christmas bombing

Yemen investigates 43 for links to Xmas bombing

SAN’A, Yemen — A Yemeni security official says 43 people, including foreigners, are being interrogated for links to the failed attempt to blow up a U.S. airliner on Christmas Day.

The official says some of the foreigners are studying Arabic and others are married to Yemeni women.

He added that a U.S. security team is being kept informed.

Investigators discovered that that the Nigerian suspect, Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, lived in a house in the capital San’a owned by an al-Qaida suspect, the official added Monday on condition of anonymity because the investigation has not yet finished

Abdulmutallab was thought to have used Arabic studies as a pretext for entering the country.

Al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden, on Sunday, described Abdulmutallab as a heroic warrior.