Officials Release Arrested Yemeni Student

Two steps forward, one step back: The Yemeni student arrested in connection with the bombs intercepted on planes in England and Dubai was released after officials discovered that she’d been the victim of identity theft. The student, in her twenties, is the only arrest made so far in the investigation. Yemeni police traced the student through the number she left with the cargo company, but the shipping agent said she was the wrong person. Authorities say someone who knew the student's name, address, and telephone number had stolen her identity. The hunt is still on for a Saudi bomb-maker, Ibrahim Hassan al-Asiri, believed to be involved with the bombs, as well as the Christmas Day 2009 attempted bombing, and the attempted assassination of the Saudi counterterrorism chief. According to Yemeni officials, American and British investigators will soon form a joint investigation task force with the Yemeni team.