Australians caught smuggling weapons: Yemen

The Department of Foreign Affairs says it is seeking access to a number of Australians with alleged links to Al Qaeda, who are reported to have been arrested in Yemen.

Yemen says eight foreigners including four with Australian passports have been arrested for trying to smuggle weapons from Yemen to Somalia.

As well as the Australian passport holders, one was a Danish national, but details of the identities of the others have not been given.

The Yemeni official says in a statement posted on the state-run newsagency that initial investigations indicated they were members of Al Qaeda.

Government sources in Yemen say all eight converted to Islam earlier this year and received religious instructions in Yemen.

A Foreign Affairs spokesman in Canberra says the department is aware of reports that a number of Australians have been arrested.

He says Australian officials in Saudia Arabia are working through British diplomatic officials in Yemen to try to seek access to the Australians.

-ABC/Reuters