Yemen militants execute 3 accused spies

SANAA, Yemen, Feb. 12 (UPI) -- Militants in Yemen say they've executed three men accused of spying for the United States.

The trio that included two Saudis and a Yemeni was beheaded at dawn, the Islamic militant group Ansar al-Sharia said Sunday.

Bikyamasr.com said residents of Jaar and Azzan confirmed the executions.

Ansar al-Sharia has been linked to al-Qaida and has recently been flexing its muscles in southern Yemen by establishing strict Sharia law in areas where government authority is weak or non-existent.

Bikyamasr.com said the group has been courting public support by distributing food and water and instituting other social programs. "Residents are starting to feel that the group is filling the government shoes quite well, helping the most vulnerable," one local sheik remarked. "Since the government is not doing anything to alleviate poverty, Ansar al-Sharia is growing more popular."