Google - CANBERRA, Australia Australia's top diplomat praised Yemen's anti-terrorism efforts Monday after three Australians were arrested in the Middle Eastern country on charges of trying to smuggle weapons to Somalia.

Foreign Minister Alexander Downer said two Australian-born citizens had been arrested for terrorism-related offenses, as well as a Polish-born man who became an Australian citizen in the 1980s. He added that reports that Yemen had arrested four Australians were incorrect.

"We welcome the determination by Yemeni authorities to address terrorism," Downer told Parliament.

"We don't have any confirmation of the official charges at this stage, but we understand the men were detained on terrorist charges including attempting to smuggle arms to Somalia," he said.

"They are very serious charges and the government would ... be deeply concerned if it turns out that they are true," Downer said.

A Yemeni official said Sunday that four Australians and a Dane had been arrested for allegedly trying to smuggle weapons to Somalia. It wasn't immediately clear why there was a discrepancy in the number of Australians arrested.

The security official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he is not authorized to release information to media, said the arrest campaign was still going on and that at least eight foreign nationals and 20 Yemenis have been arrested so far.