EGYPT: The American embassy closes its doors in Cairo after the U.S. issues a worldwide travel alert for American citizens that an al-Qaeda attack may be imminent, particularly in the Middle East and North Africa

Record ID: 796907

  • Title: EGYPT: The American embassy closes its doors in Cairo after the U.S. issues a worldwide travel alert for American citizens that an al-Qaeda attack may be imminent, particularly in the Middle East and North Africa
  • Date: 3rd August 2013
  • Summary: CAIRO, EGYPT (AUGUST 3, 2013) (REUTERS) CONCRETE BLOCK WALL BLOCKING ONE OF STREETS LEADING TO U.S. EMBASSY IN CAIRO WITH FLAG OVER EMBASSY SEEN ALOFT FLAG OVER EMBASSY FLAG OVER EMBASSY SEEN BEHIND WALL SURVEILLANCE CAMERAS AND BARBED WIRE OVER EMBASSY WALL, WIDE OF STREET
  • Embargoed: 18th August 2013 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Egypt
  • Country: Egypt
  • Reuters ID: LVA1QRWJBQCVYUV8XMBWFWJKO4V4
  • Story Text: The US embassy in Cairo was closed on Saturday (August 3) after Washington issued a worldwide travel alert on Friday (August 2) warning Americans that al Qaeda may be planning attacks in August, particularly in the Middle East and North Africa.
    The State Department travel alert was based on the same intelligence that prompted it to close 21 U.S. embassies and consulates on Sunday, Aug. 4, chiefly those in the Muslim world, a U.S. official told Reuters on condition of anonymity.
    The travel alert is set to expire on Aug. 31.
    Among the most prominent of al Qaeda's affiliates is Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, a Yemen-based group whose attempted attacks included the Christmas Day 2009 attempt to blow up a Northwest Airlines flight from Amsterdam to Detroit.
    U.S. security sources, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the threat was related to AQAP but there was not a specific target. They also said that it was aimed at Western interests, an assessment later confirmed by the top U.S. military officer.
    Britain said it would close its embassy in Yemen on Sunday and Monday.
    On Thursday, the State Department said U.S. embassies that would normally be open on Sunday - chiefly those in the Muslim world - would be closed that day because of security concerns, adding that they might be shut for a longer period The embassies in the following countries will be closed: Afghanistan, Algeria, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Djibouti, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Libya, Mauritania, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, the United Arab Emirates and Yemen.
    The consulates in Arbil, Iraq; Dhahran and Jeddah, Saudi Arabia; and Dubai, United Arab Emirates will also be shut.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2013. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
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