The president of Yemen says there are Dutch nationals active for al-Quaida in his country, but did not say how many.

President Abd Rabbu Mansur Hadi was speaking at a police academy in the capital Sanaa, Nos television reports.

He said that 70% of al-Quaida members in Yemen are foreign fighters. ‘They come from Brazil, the Netherlands, Australia, France and other countries.’

Last week, foreign affairs minister Ronald Plasterk told parliament in a written brief that Dutch youngsters are taking part in jihad in Yemen, Syria, Egypt and Somalia.

Last autumn, Nos sources confirmed that a Dutch-Moroccan from Amsterdam died in a fight between Sunnis and Shiites in Yemen.