State Department issues ‘worldwide travel alert’ and closes 21 embassies due to ‘terror’ threat
The US Department of State issued a “worldwide” travel alert Friday over unspecified terror threats by al-Qa’ida and affiliated organizations. The travel alert is in effect until Aug. 31.
“Current information suggests that al-Qa’ida and affiliated organizations continue to plan terrorist attacks both in the region and beyond, and that they may focus efforts to conduct attacks in the period between now and the end of August”, the statement reads.
In addition, State department officials closed 21 embassies and consulates starting on Sunday, August 4. The following embassies are affected:
U.S. Embassy Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, U.S. Embassy Algiers, Algeria, U.S. Embassy Amman, Jordan, U.S. Embassy Baghdad, Iraq, U.S. Consulate Basrah, Iraq, U.S. Embassy Cairo, Egypt, U.S. Consulate Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, U.S. Embassy Djibouti, Djibouti, U.S. Embassy Dhaka, Bangladesh, U.S. Embassy Doha, Qatar, U.S. Consulate Dubai, United Arab Emirates, U.S. Consulate Erbil, Iraq, U.S. Consulate Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, U.S. Embassy Kabul, Afghanistan, U.S. Embassy Khartoum, Sudan, U.S. Embassy Kuwait City, Kuwait, U.S. Embassy Manama, Bahrain, U.S. Embassy Muscat, Oman, U.S. Embassy Nouakchott, Mauritania, U.S. Embassy Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, U.S. Embassy Sana’a, Yemen and U.S. Embassy Tripoli, Libya.
NY Representative Peter King said the threats are serious and “very specific”.
“We’re not certain exactly where something might happen but it’s very specific as to when and it’s also very specific as to the fact that it is going to happen, so we have to be on alert everywhere,” the New York Republican told WINS-AM.
Rep. C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger of Maryland, the top Democrat on the House Intelligence panel, also supported the department’s decision to go public with its concerns telling WBAL.com, “The most important thing we have to do is protect American lives,” he said, describing the threat as “not the regular chitchat” picked up from would-be militants on the Internet or elsewhere.
Ruppersberger also told WBAL News that the actions of Edward Snowden, who leaked details of NSA surveillance practices, could hamper future terrorist investigations.
The State Department said in the statement, “We continue to work closely with other nations on the threat from international terrorism, including from al-Qa’ida. Information is routinely shared between the U.S. and our key partners in order to disrupt terrorist plotting, identify and take action against potential operatives, and strengthen our defenses against potential threats.”
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