Both brothers behind Paris attack had weapons training in Yemen

This is the first confirmation by Yemeni officials that both Cherif and Said Kouachi, who carried out the bloodiest Islamist attack on the West in decades, had visited Yemen where al Qaeda's deadliest franchise, AQAP, is based. One Yemeni source had previously confirmed a visit by Said Kouachi.

"These two brothers arrived in Oman on July 25, 2011, and from Oman they were smuggled into Yemen where they stayed for two weeks," a senior Yemeni security official, who declined to be named, said.

"They met (al Qaeda preacher) Anwar al-Awlaki and then they were trained for three days in the deserts of Marib on how to fire a gun. They returned to Oman and they left Oman on Aug. 15, 2011 to go back to France."

A senior Yemeni intelligence source confirmed the brothers had entered Yemen via Oman in 2011, citing the ease with which they entered while the security forces were focused on the Arab Spring protests that were convulsing the country at the time.

The source also confirmed the brothers had met Awlaki "and trained in Wadi Abida," - which is between Marib and Shabwa provinces where Awlaki was known to move freely.