Brutal killing of foreigners in Yemen bears al-Qaeda 'Hallmarks',

GERMANY, June 16 (Saba) - Germany believes al-Qaeda was behind the
kidnapping of seven Germans on Friday and killing two female
captives on Monday in Yemen.

The German intelligence services expected all the hostages including
seven Germans, a Briton and a South Korean, were killed in the hand
of al-Qaeda militants in the Yemeni northern Saada region.

The German daily Sueddeutsche Zeitung reported Tuesday the German
Intelligence Authorities based their conclusions on the brutality of
the killing of three female foreigners whose bodies were found in
Saada.

"The Germans are particularly in Al-Qaeda's line of fire. Al-Qaeda
is intensifying things. We should prepare ourselves for additional
deaths," an unnamed expert was quoted as saying by the newspaper

On Monday, Yemen police said they found the bodies of three
foreigners identified as of two Germans and one South Korean, of
those who were among a party of nine foreigners abducted in Saada on
Friday.

On Monday evening, Yemeni official sources said the other six were
alive and the security forces were hunting the kidnappers.

Among the abducted were a German family including parents and three
children, two German nurses, a Briton and a South Korean.

The German Family comprised of father, Johannes H. (36), mother,
Sabine H. (36) adn their kids Lydia (4), Anna (3) and Simon (1).

The other two German nurses were Anita G. (24) and Rita S. (26).

The abducted also included Briton Anthony S, aged 25, and South
Korean Young Sun Ium, age 22.

Earlier, the Yemeni government accused the Houthi rebels of
kidnapping the nine.