1.   American ships had safely refueled two dozen times in Aden.

2.   Once the chartered ship Pirouette refueled and stocked up on provisions, it was to resume using its sensitive sidescan sonar to search for any missed scraps.

3.   Officials declined to describe the extent to which such checks were routine at other foreign ports where Navy ships refuel.

4.   The ship was refueling at a port in Yemen, a small country on the Red Sea in the Middle East.

5.   Although the ship had refueled in Douala, it was unclear how long the fuel would last.

6.   Bin Laden has criticized Yemen for allowing U.S. ships to refuel at Aden.

7.   Retired Gen. Anthony Zinni takes full responsibility for allowing U.S. Navy ships to refuel in Yemen.

8.   The ship was refueling in Yemen at the time.

9.   This ship was refueling in a port in Yemen while en route to the Persian Gulf.

10.   To qualify for a record attempt the ships must not refuel en route.