US Warns of al-Qaida Threat, Closes Embassies August 4

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Security personnel stand in front of the U.S. embassy in Tel Aviv, August 2, 2013.
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Security personnel stand in front of the U.S. embassy in Tel Aviv, August 2, 2013.

The United States has issued a travel alert for U.S. citizens worldwide that warns of an al-Qaida terrorist threat.

The State Department said Friday the potential for terrorism is particularly strong in the Middle East and North Africa.  It says an attack could come from the Arabian Peninsula.

The statement added that al-Qaida and its affiliates may conduct attacks anytime between now and the end of August.

The warning comes a day after the U.S. said it was closing a number of its embassies and consulates around the world this Sunday for security reasons.

The State Department said the embassies and consulates instructed to close are ones normally open on Sundays.  That would include embassies in the Muslim world, where the work week generally is from Sunday to Thursday.

Spokeswoman Marie Harf called the move a precautionary measure.

“The Department has been apprised of information that out of an abundance of caution and care for our employees and others who may be visiting our installations that indicates we should institute these precautionary steps. The department, when conditions warrant, takes steps like this to balance our continued operations with security and safety,” said Harf.

Officials said the closures could be extended after an evaluation.

Some information for this report was provided by Reuters

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3 COMMENTS

  1. The NSA is trying to scare the hell out of Americans, and, with the help of the Obama administration, is doing a terrific job.
    The truth is that if you were planning a foreign holiday, now is the safest and best time to do so: Thanks to the travel alert, return airline tickets are as cheap as they will ever get, complete with low-cost hotel rates, and security is unnecessarily over the top.
    Smart people would take advantage but most Americans are afraid of imaginary and phony terror shadows and won't do so while, unfortunately, praising the USA security apparatus designed to clobber individual rights and freedoms. Why are Americans so stupid?

  2. This is happening because of mass media, pro. They conducted an entire campaign to scare people and they obtained what result they wanted: people are scared.

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