Al-Qaida claims responsibility for Yemen's bombing

A policeman collects evidence at the site of a suicide bomb attack at a parade square in Sanaa, Yemen, Monday, May 21, 2012. Officials say Monday's bombing near Sanaa's presidential palace is one of the deadliest attacks in the city in months. (AP Photo/Hani Mohammed)

A policeman collects evidence at the site of a suicide bomb attack at a parade square in Sanaa, Yemen, Monday, May 21, 2012. Officials say Monday's bombing near Sanaa's presidential palace is one of the deadliest attacks in the city in months. (AP Photo/Hani Mohammed)

Forensic policemen collect evidence at the site of a suicide bomb attack at a parade square in Sanaa, Yemen, that killed at least 96 soldiers in one of the deadliest attacks in the city in years, Monday, May 21, 2012. The bombing appeared to be a failed assassination attempt against the Minister of Defense, Maj. Gen. Mohammed Nasser Ahmed, who arrived at the heavily secured city square to greet the assembled troops just minutes before the blast ripped through the area. (AP Photo/Hani Mohammed)

EDS NOTE: GRAPHIC CONTENT - Forensic policemen collect evidence at the site of a suicide bomb attack at a parade square, killing some scores of people, in Sanaa, Yemen, Monday, May 21, 2012. Officials say Monday's bombing near Sanaa's presidential palace is one of the deadliest attacks in the city in months. (AP Photo/Hani Mohammed)

SANAA, Yemen (AP) ? Al-Qaida's branch in Yemen has claimed responsibility for the suicide bombing in the capital at a military parade rehearsal which killed nearly 100 soldiers and injured at least 200.

The militant group said in an emailed statement Monday that one of its "holy warriors" carried the suicide attack and that it targeted the minister of defense who was attending the rehearsal. It says the attack is meant to take revenge for the military offensive against al-Qaida in southern Yemen.

The group known as al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula vowed, "This is only the beginning of Jihad," and said that its militants will continue waging attacks against the Yemeni leadership.

Monday's bombing took place when a suicide bomber dressed in military uniform blew himself up among parading soldiers.

Associated Press

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