A suspected Muslim extremist shot and killed three American doctors at a missionary hospital in Yemen on Monday, security officials said. According to the officials, one of the victims was the hospital director. The other two, both women, were the chief doctor and another doctor.
Another American pharmacist was wounded in the attack at Maaden hospital in the town of Jibla in Ibb province, 190 kilometers south of the capital San`a, the officials said, according to AP.
The officials added the attacker was a suspected Muslim fundamentalist who entered the hospital's complex and opened fire with a semiautomatic rifle and a gun.
The gunman, identified as Ali Abdul Razak al-Kamel, 32, was detained. He told police after his arrest that he had shot the two men and two women to "cleanse his religion and get closer to Allah."
"The gunman confessed to being a member of (Yemen's) Islamic Jihad group and said he shot the Americans because they were preaching Christianity in a Muslim country," one Yemeni official said, according to Reuters
Witnesses said Kamel had entered the hospital posing as a patient then opened fire on the four Americans at the outpatient clinic when it was his turn to receive treatment.
A Yemeni security official added authorities were searching for a five to eight extremists targeting foreigners and secular personalities in Yemen.
The U.S. Embassy in Sana'a issued a statement condemning the shooting, and urged Yemen's government to bring those responsible for the attack to justice.
The embassy also asked Americans in Yemen to enhance their security and said it was requesting additional protection for them in addition to sending a team to Jibla to help with the investigation.
On his part, Yemen's President, Ali Abdullah Saleh, sent a condolence letter to US president George W Bush.
"While strongly condemning this criminal, disgraceful act which is inconsistent with the faith, values and morals of the Yemeni people, we on behalf the Republic of Yemen, leadership, government, and people, extend to you the deepest condolence and through you to the families of the victims and the friendly American people," president Saleh said.
"We are confident these criminal acts will never affect the relations of friendship and cooperation between the two countries, it will enhance our common attitudes together with the international community in fighting the terror," he added.
President Saleh confirmed to president Bush the perpetrators would be brought to justice and be severely punished, SABA quoted Saleh as saying. (Albawaba.com)
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