Sana'a, Jan 6 : Yemeni police have arrested three suspected Al Qaeda members who managed to flee a police raid near the Yemeni capial of Sana'a two days ago, the interior ministry said Wednesday.

The ministry said the three men were arrested in a hospital in Raida, Amran province, some 60 km north of Sana'a.

They had apparently been brought there, injured, after fleeing the raid, in which two alleged terrorists died, the interior ministry reported.

A publication linked to the defence ministry reported that another four men who had helped bring the Al Qaeda suspects to the hospital had also been arrested.

The arrests should serve as a warning that anyone who renders "any form of aid" to terrorists would be harshly punished.

The interior ministry also reported that a third suspect was injured and arrested after Monday's operation.

A government official said the men were among a group of Al Qaeda militants believed to have been behind threats sent to the US and British embassies in Sana'a this week.

Yemen has stepped up its anti-terror efforts after being linked to the apparent Christmas Day attempt by an Al Qaeda sympathizer to blow up a passenger jet over Detroit - partially in an effort to ward off efforts to send international troops onto its territory.(DPA)