Al Qaeda Suspect, Cornered by Yemeni Police, Kills Self

A suspected Al Qaeda member, believed to have links to one of the Sept. 11 hijackers, blew himself up Wednesday after being cornered by security forces.

Sameer Mohammed Ahmed Hada, 25, was trying to flee Yemeni authorities who had staked out his house in Sana, the capital, police said.

Authorities believe Hada was a brother-in-law of Khalid Almidhar, one of the 19 skyjackers from the Sept. 11 attacks, and also a brother-in-law of one of the 17 men named by the FBI in an alert issued Monday warning of a possible terrorist attack, according to a U.S. government source, speaking on condition of anonymity.

Police said officers approached Hada as he left his house but that he ran and tried to throw a grenade, which detonated in his hand, killing him.

Hada was the son of Ahmed Mohammed Ali Hada, a known Al Qaeda operative, a U.S. official said.

Police arrested a man sitting in a car outside the younger Hada’s house at the time, authorities said.

The explosion came two days after the FBI issued a warning of more terrorist attacks--either in the United States or against U.S. interests in Yemen.

Police said they learned about Hada from his landlord. The landlord called authorities after Hada’s rental contract expired and he did not provide the documents needed for renewal, according to police.

Police said they began inquiries and learned that Hada was an active Al Qaeda member in Yemen.

After Wednesday’s explosion, security officers searched Hada’s house, seizing two pistols, documents, books, a cell phone and a list of phone numbers, police said.