Al-Qaeda in Yemen focus of London meeting

British Prime Minister Gordon Brown has called for a high-level international meeting on Jan. 28 in London to devise ways to counter radicalization in Yemen.

The meeting would be heldat the same time asthe city's plannedconference on Afghanistan,he said Friday.

Brown said an international approach is needed to combat the rising influence of al-Qaeda in Yemen. The terror group has claimed responsibility for the thwarted Christmas Day bombing of a passenger plane bound for Detroit.

U.S. officials believe the Nigerian arrested after the incident,Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, has ties withal-Qaeda in Yemen.

The prime minister said he hopes the meeting will co-ordinate donor efforts to help the government of Yemen and identify counterterrorism needs there.

He said the meeting plan is backed by the United States and the European Union.