Two Belgian nationals could be deported from Yemen after being detained last month on suspicion of involvement in terrorism, a Yemeni security official and Belgium’s Foreign Ministry said yesterday.

The Yemeni official identified the men as Ebrahim Bali and Ezzeddine Tuhairi, Belgians of Arab descent, and said they were detained on April 13 at Sanaa’s airport as they tried to enter the country.

“They were arrested on suspicion of planned terrorist activities in Yemen. We are in a process of negotiation with the Belgian government. We expect them to be deported...within days,” the official said. A Belgian Foreign Ministry spokesman confirmed the two men were being held over suspected involvement in “terrorist” activity, and said Brussels was seeking consular access to them.

Yemen’s branch of Al-Qaeda, is of great concern to Washington, which is waging an assassination campaign against alleged members of the group using drone and missile strikes.