A female medical student has been arrested in Yemen in connection with a suspected terrorist attack on the United States.

Security forces in the Middle Eastern state swooped earlier today, making an arrest at a house in the capital, Sanaa.

It is believe she was traced through a phone number left with a cargo company.

Her mother was also detained.

Pictured: Arrests were made in Sanaa, Yemen

Two suspect packages were located on Friday, with one device intercepted on a UPS plane at East Midlands Airport in the UK and the other on a FedEx jet in Dubai.

Both packages – described by American president Barack Obama as a “credible terrorist threat” – were addressed to synagogues in the Chicago area.

Earlier British prime minister David Cameron said the said the device found in Britain on a US-bound cargo plane was designed to go off on the aircraft.

Yemen Arrest

The unnamed young Yemeni woman was arrested at a house on the outskirts of Sanaa.

Security officials have her described as a medical student and the daughter of a petroleum engineer.

Speaking to Reuters news agency her lawyer confirmed she had been arrested in connection with the bomb plot.

Mr Abdel Rahman Burman said: “Her acquaintances tell me that she is a quiet student and there was no knowledge of her having involvement in any religious or political groups.

“I am concerned the girl is a victim because it doesn’t make sense that the person who would do this kind of operation would leave a picture of their ID and their phone number.”

Saudi Arabia

Attacking cargo planes had been anticipated as a potential terrorist tactic by western governments.

Warnings from Saudi Arabian intelligence services have also warned of a possible threat in recent weeks, prompting European nations and the United States to caution their citizens over the possible danger of travel.

Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh said the US and the United Arab Emirates had provided Yemen with information that helped identify the arrested woman, and he pledged that his country would continue fighting al-Qaeda “in co-operation with its partners”.

“But we do not want anyone to interfere in Yemeni affairs by hunting down al-Qaeda,” he added.

The statement is being seen as a coded message to the United States not to interfere with domestic Yemeni politics.