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TONY EASTLEY: Three Australians have been arrested over possible terrorist offences in the Middle East country of Yemen.
They're among a group of eight foreigners accused of smuggling weapons from Yemen across the Gulf of Aden to Islamic militias in Somalia.

The men are reported to have converted to Islam recently and Yemeni authorities say they're suspected of being linked to al-Qaeda.

The Department of Foreign Affairs says the three Australians are all from New South Wales and it's aware of their identities.

The Department was informed of their arrest two weeks ago but a spokesman says a Muslim holiday has so far prevented authorities gaining further information or access to the trio.

Middle East Correspondent David Hardaker reports.

DAVID HARDAKER: Little is known about the identity of the Australian passport holders.

An announcement on the Yemen Government's official website says three Australians are part of a group arrested two weeks ago for smuggling weapons to Somalia.

The others are listed as a Dane, a German, a Briton, another unspecified European and a Somali.

A Yemeni security source quoted by various news agencies says the Australian passport holders and the Dane were arrested in two flats in Yemen's capital, Sana'a, on suspicion of being affiliated to al-Qaeda.

He said the Australians and the Dane were ostensibly in Yemen to study Arabic.

Danish media said the suspect was a 23-year-old male who converted to Islam and moved to Yemen two months ago with his wife and child.

According to reports, the smuggled weapons were bound for Islamic militias who control the south of Somalia and who are fighting with the weak central government for control of the country.

Government sources in Yemen said the three Australians and the other foreigners had all converted to Islam earlier this year and had received religious instruction in Yemen.

Over the years, Yemen's been a popular destination for Muslims and Western converts who go there to study the Koran and/or to learn Arabic.

One of those was the 20-year-old American, John Walker Lindh, who was later arrested during the war in Afghanistan.

Australian officials based in neighbouring Saudi Arabia are attempting to gain access to the Australian passport holders by working with British consular officials in Yemen.