Yemeni Islamist leader survives assassination bid

Wednesday, July 20, 2011

By Ahmed Al-haj, Associated Press

SANAA, Yemen — An Islamist opposition party in Yemen says its leader has survived an assassination attempt by gunmen on his car in the nation's capital.

The Islah party says Mohammed Yadoumi was driving through Sanaa on Wednesday when the assailants opened fire on his vehicle, hitting it four times. Yadoumi escaped the attack unharmed.

The party blamed the regime of President Ali Abdullah Saleh for the attack. A government spokesman was not immediately available for comment.

Yadoumi's party is one of the most important opposition groups in Yemen and has been active in the more than five months of mass protests seeking to topple Saleh's regime.