US Weighing Travel Request For Yemen’s President

The Obama administration is considering whether to allow Yemen's outgoing president into the United States for medical treatment.

A senior administration official says President Ali Abdullah Saleh's office requested that he be allowed to receive specialized treatment in the U.S. forinjuries sustained in a June attack on his compound.

Saleh announced Saturday that he was leaving for the U.S. in order to help calm tensions in his country following a fresh waveof violence. But he said his travel was not for medical treatment.

Saleh's presence in Yemen has angered many there, who say hewants to continue to wield his influence despite agreeing to transfer power following months of protests.

The official requested anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly.

(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)