Britain's envoy to Yemen narrowly escaped injury this morning following a suicide bomb attack in Sanaa.
The bomber threw himself at the ambassador's convoy, but Ambassador Timothy Torlot was not hurt in the attack.
The suicide bomber was the only casualty. Two security officials escorting the ambassador's motorcade and one bystander were injured.
Witnesses said that the bomber was a bit slow in targeting the diplomat's vehicle and a police car escorting the two-car convoy was partly damaged in the attack, which occurred about 600m from the embassy.
Britain is working with Yemeni authorities to investigate the attack.
Yemen's interior ministry has said that the suicide attack appeared to be the work of Osama bin Laden's al-Qaeda network.
‘The failed terrorist attack that targeted the British ambassador in Sanaa carries the fingerprints of al-Qaeda,’ said the interior ministry website, citing security authorities.
The British Embassy in Yemen will be closed to the public indefinitely, the British Foreign Office said.
American and British missions were shut for some days in January following indications that the local branch of al-Qaeda was targeting Western interests in the country.
The warning followed the botched Christmas bombing of a US airliner, which was claimed by al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula.
