US Attorney General, William Barr speaks next to displayed pictures of the shooter's phone at a press conference regarding the December 2019 shooting at the Pensacola Naval air station in Florida. AFP
US Attorney General, William Barr speaks next to displayed pictures of the shooter's phone at a press conference regarding the December 2019 shooting at the Pensacola Naval air station in Florida. AFP
US Attorney General, William Barr speaks next to displayed pictures of the shooter's phone at a press conference regarding the December 2019 shooting at the Pensacola Naval air station in Florida. AFP
US Attorney General, William Barr speaks next to displayed pictures of the shooter's phone at a press conference regarding the December 2019 shooting at the Pensacola Naval air station in Florida. AFP

US officials sceptical as Al Qaeda in Yemen claim Florida airbase shooting


  • English
  • Arabic

Al Qaeda's Yemen affiliate has claimed responsibility for a fatal shooting in December at a US naval base in Pensacola, Florida.

An audio recording purportedly from Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula said "we embrace the operation of the martyr hero, the daring knight Mohammad bin Saeed Alshamrani".

The recording offered no evidence that the group was behind the attack in which Alshamrani, a Saudi citizen, killed three people.

An undated file photo provided by the FBI shows Mohammed Alshamrani. FBI via AP, file
An undated file photo provided by the FBI shows Mohammed Alshamrani. FBI via AP, file

A US government source familiar with official reporting and analysis told Reuters news agency that the Trump administration did not believe Aqap's claim that the Florida shooter was acting on their behalf.

The source said that Aqap could have made the claim to divert attention after reports about the killing of its leader, Qassim Al Raymi, in a drone strike in Marib. The reports are yet to be confirmed.

One Yemeni government official confirmed that there had been a drone strike in Marib but said it was not Raymi who had been killed.

After the Pensacola attack, the US grounded all 850 Saudi pilots undergoing military training in America and restricted training to classroom-based activities while it reviewed vetting and security.

However, on January 16, the Pentagon said it would soon resume operational training.

"We're looking forward to turning that [training] back on in the coming days," Pentagon spokesman Jonathan Hoffman told a news briefing.

Saudi Arabia withdrew 21 cadets after the investigations showed they either had social media accounts containing extremist content or anti-American sentiment. At least one possessed child pornography.

 

 

Boulder shooting victims

• Denny Strong, 20
• Neven Stanisic, 23
• Rikki Olds, 25
• Tralona Bartkowiak, 49
• Suzanne Fountain, 59
• Teri Leiker, 51
• Eric Talley, 51
• Kevin Mahoney, 61
• Lynn Murray, 62
• Jody Waters, 65

Mission%3A%20Impossible%20-%20Dead%20Reckoning%20Part%20One
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Christopher%20McQuarrie%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Tom%20Cruise%2C%20Hayley%20Atwell%2C%20Pom%20Klementieff%2C%20Simon%20Pegg%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%204%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
THE%20SPECS
%3Cp%3EBattery%3A%2060kW%20lithium-ion%20phosphate%3Cbr%3EPower%3A%20Up%20to%20201bhp%3Cbr%3E0%20to%20100kph%3A%207.3%20seconds%3Cbr%3ERange%3A%20418km%3Cbr%3EPrice%3A%20From%20Dh149%2C900%3Cbr%3EAvailable%3A%20Now%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
GAC GS8 Specs

Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo

Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm

Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm

Transmission: 8-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km

On sale: Now

Price: From Dh149,900

Blue%20Beetle
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Angel%20Manuel%20Soto%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EXolo%20Mariduena%2C%20Adriana%20Barraza%2C%20Damian%20Alcazar%2C%20Raoul%20Max%20Trujillo%2C%20Susan%20Sarandon%2C%20George%20Lopez%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E4%2F5%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
EA Sports FC 26

Publisher: EA Sports

Consoles: PC, PlayStation 4/5, Xbox Series X/S

Rating: 3/5

Who's who in Yemen conflict

Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government

Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council

Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south

Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory

Red flags
  • Promises of high, fixed or 'guaranteed' returns.
  • Unregulated structured products or complex investments often used to bypass traditional safeguards.
  • Lack of clear information, vague language, no access to audited financials.
  • Overseas companies targeting investors in other jurisdictions - this can make legal recovery difficult.
  • Hard-selling tactics - creating urgency, offering 'exclusive' deals.

Courtesy: Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching