Report: US deploying Predator drones in Yemen

Nov 7, 2010, 5:52 GMT

Washington - The United States has resumed use of Predator drones in the hunt for al-Qaeda terrorist operatives in Yemen, but has not yet fired any weapons, The Washington Post reported Sunday.

The drones have been deployed for several months, according to unnamed US officials, but no missiles have been fired because of uncertainty about the whereabouts of the targets.

The group Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, or AQAP, has been blamed for the recent placing of bombs inside packages disguised as printer toner discovered last week in England and Dubai.

AQAP is also suspected in the attempted underwear aircraft bombing in Detroit in December 2009, and the attempted assassination of Saudi counterterrorism chief Prince Mohammed bin Nayef.

A US official indicated to the Washington Post that the drones would be free to shoot, but that no consideration was being given to putting US 'boots on the ground.'

The officials also said the US buildup includes other intelligence assets, among them added CIA teams, up to 100 Special Operations force trainers, and sophisticated surveillance and electronic eavesdropping systems.

The drones are operated by a clandestine US military unit, the US Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC), from a base in another unnamed country, the Post reported. Drones used in Pakistan are operated by the CIA.

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