US al-Qaeda suspect tricked Yemeni guard

14/03/2010 | 09:41 AM

An American al-Qaeda suspect detained in Yemen reportedly killed his prison guard, and seriously injured another, after fooling them into unshackling him for prayers.

Sharif Mobley, 26, travelled to Yemen two years ago and was recently arrested in a sweep that netted ten other al-Qaeda suspects.

Mobley made his bold escape attempt March 7 after being transferred from prison to a hospital in the capital, San'a, for medical treatment.

He tried to shoot his way out of the hospital, killing one guard and seriously injuring another before being recaptured.

Two senior Yemeni officials involved in Mobley's case said he was being treated for complications from a metal rod implanted in his leg some time in the past.

The prison doctor had asked to transfer him to the hospital where he stayed for a week.

The officials agreed to discuss details of Mobley's attempted escape on condition of anonymity because the investigation has not finished.

At the hospital, Mobley - of Somali descent - befriended his guards and asked them to teach him Arabic.

He performed prayers and read the Quran with them.

Then a week ago Mobley asked his guard to unshackle him from his hospital bed at prayer time, the officials said on Saturday.

The guard did and then went into a washroom ahead of Mobley to perform ritual ablutions required before the five daily prayers in Islam, leaving his gun unattended.

Mobley snatched the gun and shot the guard twice - first in the head, then in the chest - as he walked out of the washroom.

When a second guard outside heard the shots, he rushed in.

Mobley shot him in the kidney and abdomen, leaving him in serious condition. Mobley was then chased around the hospital until he surrendered.

One of the senior officials said Mobley's targeting indicates he is highly trained in the use of firearms and criticised the negligence of the prison guards.

He also said Mobley had been in the high security intelligence prison after being detained a few months ago.

That timeframe contradicted a statement by the Yemeni Embassy in Washington, which had said Mobley was detained earlier this month.

US officials say Mobley had been a labourer at six US nuclear power plants before travelling to Yemen.

US authorities are investigating whether he had access to sensitive information or materials that would be useful to terrorists.

He passed all necessary background checks for those jobs.

On Saturday, US Senator Charles Schumer called for a review of such background checks to see whether they need to be more thorough.

US officials say Mobley travelled to Yemen with the goal of joining a terrorist group and that the US government was aware of his potential extremist ties long before his arrest. The Yemeni officials said Mobley was not on Yemen's list of wanted militants.

Mobley grew up in Buena, New Jersey. His parents said he is not a terrorist, though a former friend said Mobley was becoming increasingly radical in his Muslim beliefs before he moved to Yemen. His mother last spoke to him in January.