USA: The State Department warns citizens attending the Olympic Games in Sochi to remain alert and watch out for their own security and safety

Record ID: 358195

  • Title: USA: The State Department warns citizens attending the Olympic Games in Sochi to remain alert and watch out for their own security and safety
  • Date: 30th December 2013
  • Summary: WASHINGTON, D.C., UNITED STATES (DECEMBER 30, 2013) (STATE DEPARTMENT TV) STATE DEPARTMENT DEPUTY SPOKESPERSON MARIE HARF WALKING INTO BRIEFING (SOUNDBITE) (English) STATE DEPARTMENT DEPUTY SPOKESPERSON MARIE HARF WALKING SAYING: "We condemn in the strongest terms the terrorist attacks in Volgograd. We send our sincere condolences to the families of the victims and sta
  • Embargoed: 14th January 2014 12:00
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  • Location: Usa
  • Country: USA
  • Topics: Crime,General,Sports
  • Reuters ID: LVAAUD03LK6YVU1GP34YZ17OG462
  • Story Text: The U.S. government is concerned Islamist militants may be preparing attacks aimed at disrupting the Winter Olympic games in Sochi in February and said Monday (December 30) that U.S. citizens attending the games should be vigilant and remain alert.

    "People should also be reminded that threats have been made against the Olympic Games and acts of terrorism, including bombings continue to occur in Russia so obviously this is an exciting, positive, happy international sporting event but people going there have to maintain vigilance and watch out for their own security and safety," said State Department Deputy Spokesperson Marie Harf.
    One militant group had issued explicit direct threats to disrupt the Olympics, a State Department official said.
    Two bombings in the Russian city of Volgograd over the last two days, one at the city's central railway station and another on a bus, killed dozens of people and raised anxieties about the safety of the Olympics.
    U.S. officials said U.S. and Russian authorities have engaged in extensive contacts regarding security preparations for the Games. The United States is expected to share with Russia information it might collect about possible threats to the Games.

    "I think the Russians are very focused on security leading up to the Olympic Games," Harf said, "And we're cooperating very closely with them on it."
    The U.S. offer for closer cooperation with Russia follows two issues earlier this year that raised tensions between U.S. and Russian security agencies: the involvement of two Chechen brothers in the Boston Marathon bombing and Russia's granting temporary asylum to former U.S. National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden.
    Despite these points of contention, a U.S. official said security cooperation between the U.S. and Russia regarding the games had improved in the run up to the Olympics.
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