Security officials say 57 militants, mostly from al-Qaida, have escaped from a prison in southern Yemen. They say the 57 were among 62 inmates from the Mukalla jail in the Hadarmout province who escaped Wednesday through an underground tunnel. Bands of gunmen attacked the prison simultaneously, opening fire on the guards from outside to divert their attention away from the escape.
Scott Lucas calls the prison break "a major setback for the war on terror, and potentially another complication for the Arab Spring." Jane Novak smells a conspiracy:
The escape is one part of the state’s plan of generating al Qaeda chaos. There is a high likelihood that the escape was arranged by the head of the security forces like Ahmed, Saleh’s son or one of the nephews. These officials are also the US’s important partners in counter-terror efforts and have been the recipients of millions in counter-terror funding.
The Dish 