Al Qaeda prepares 'non-Arab' women suicide bombers

New York, Jan 24 : The Yemen-based Al Qaeda group has formed a women's brigade of "non Arab" suicide bombers as part of its new tactic to attack western targets, anti-terror experts said.

It was "inevitable" that Al Qaeda would eventually turn to using women with a western appearance to carry out suicide attacks.

Airliners and all forms of transport could be targeted as well as sports stadium, ports and power stations, the Daily Telegraph reported quoting security Officials.

The women, who may have a "non Arab" appearance and be travelling on Western passports, have been prepared for their missions by the Yemeni group.

US law enforcement agents have been told to be on the lookout for female suicide bombers who may attempt to enter the country.

At least two are believed to be connected to Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula which has been accused of sending underwear bomber Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab who tried unsuccessfully to explode a transatlantic airliner over Detroit last month.

Details of women suicide bombers emerged hours after British intelligence officials raised the state of terror threat on Britain to "severe" amid fears that Al Qaeda was planning a wave of attacks against western targets.

Terror experts within the Joint Terrorism Analysis Centre, a unit of London-based MI5, now believe that an attack against the UK is "highly likely", the daily said.

Richard Clarke, a former chief White House counter-terrorism adviser, said: "They have trained women.

"There are others who are still out there who have been trained and who are clean skins - that means people who we do not have a record of, people who may not look like Al Qaeda terrorists, who may not be Arabs, and may not be men."

A US Senate Committee on Foreign Relations report also revealed that around 70 American citizens, some ex-convicts, have disappeared into Yemen and Somalia and pose a Jihadist threat to the US.

British Prime Minister Gordon Brown warned earlier this week that "a number of terrorist cells are actively trying to attack Britain and other countries."

Brown said the failed attack over Detroit signalled "the first operation mounted outside Arabia by Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula".

He also talked about the increased threat from Somalia in east Africa and the Sahel in West Africa, adding that there would be a greater degree of intelligence sharing with foreign countries.