Yemen group says Qaeda-linked and vows more attacks

SANAA (Reuters) - A group calling itself Islamic Jihad in Yemen said on Thursday it belonged to al Qaeda and vowed more attacks after twin suicide car bombings at the U.S. embassy, according to a statement.

"We in the Islamic Jihad in Yemen, belonging to the al Qaeda organisation, repeat our demand to (Yemeni President) Ali Abdullah Saleh to quickly free our brothers within 48 hours," said the statement, signed by the group's leader Abu al-Ghaith al-Yamani.

The group threatened to "attack Western interests and the British and Saudi embassies ... and assassinate high state officials", said the statement obtained by Reuters. It also demanded the closure of the U.S. and British embassies.

The authenticity of the statement could not be verified by Reuters.

On Wednesday, Islamic Jihad in Yemen said it was behind the attack on the U.S. embassy which killed 17 people at the building's gates, and threatened attacks in other parts of the Gulf Arab region.

(Reporting by Mohamed Sudam; writing by Firouz Sedarat)