US Officials said that the US military and spy agencies stepped up intelligence gathering using surveillance aircrafts, satellites and signals intercepts to track al Qaeda targets in and around their base in Yemen.

US Defense Secretary Robert Gates approved a $150 million funding to train and equip Yemeni Security Forces to combat al Qaeda, US defense officials said.The funding approved is up from $67 million last year, and underscores US concerns about the growing threat of al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula. …