Al-Qaida turncoat alerted Saudis to plot

SAN'A, Yemen -- A leading al-Qaida militant in Yemen who surrendered to Saudi Arabia provided information that helped thwart the mail bomb plot, Yemeni security officials said Monday. The officials said Jabir al-Fayfi, a Saudi militant who had joined al-Qaida in Yemen but handed himself over in late September, told Saudi officials about the plan. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to talk to the media. U.S. officials have said an alert from Saudi Arabia led to the interception on Friday of two explosive devices, hidden in packages addressed to Chicago-area synagogues, on planes transiting in Britain and Dubai.

-- AP