Yemen said on Sunday the hunt for Al-Qaeda suspect Anwar Al-Awlaki and his fellows is continuing in Shabwa Province in the south, a few days after the U.S. froze the assets of Al-Awlaki on the grounds 'he is very dangerous and involved in fundraising for terrorist groups and recruiting operatives'.
Security sources said the mission of the forces is to arrest Al-Awalki and hand him to the Yemeni Interior Ministry and Judicial Authorities.
The forces are combing mountains searching for terrorist suspect including Al-Awlaki, whom the U.S. wanted early this year dead or alive, the sources were quoted as saying, as they praised the cooperation of the tribes on hunting suspects.
The sources denied there were negotiations with the U.S. over arresting and extraditing him.
On Friday, the U.S. Treasury Department said it decided to freeze the assets of the U.S. cleric from Yemeni origin accused of involvement in the botched bombing of a U.S.-bound passenger airplane in late last year.
The department also said the move came because Al-Awlaki is 'a key leader of Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula AQAP and sought to encourage his supporters to provide money for terrorist groups'.
Al-Awlaki was jailed in 2006 by the Yemeni authorities after he was charged with kidnapping for ransom. He was released in 2007.
The U.S. has many times asked Yemen to arrest and extradite him but Yemen said this year the man is wanted by the national authorities on terrorism charges.