SANAA, Feb. 4 (IslamOnline & News Agencies) - The authorities in Yemen say they have begun deporting a number of foreign Muslims who had been studying in religious schools, news agencies reported.
"The operation started Saturday with the expulsion of four British students who left Sanaa for London. Other students will be expelled during the coming days and coming weeks," a police official said, AFP reported.
He said that "in total 115 students at religious schools have been arrested since mid-December and will be expelled." He said that among those detained were Islamic students from Algeria, Britain, Egypt, France, Indonesia, Libya, Pakistan, Somalia and Sudan.
BBC correspondents said the operation is part of efforts by Yemen to rid itself of a reputation as a haven for so-called "Islamic extremists".
It follows speculation that Yemen could be a target in what the United States calls the second phase of its war on global terrorism.
Last month, the weekly 26 September, published by the defense ministry, said the foreigners were being held for violating residency requirements.
The government of President Ali Abdullah Saleh is cracking down on outlaws and suspected members of Osama bin Laden's Al-Qaeda network, apparently in the hope of warding off a U.S. strike in a future phase of Washington's anti-terror campaign.
The hunt is focusing on three Yemenis suspected of belonging to Al-Qaeda, two of whom have been identified as Ali Qaed Sanian al-Harthy and Mohammad Hamdi
Al-Ahdal.
