US issues worldwide travel alert amid terrorism fears

The US state department has issued a travel warning to its citizens worldwide, alerting them to potential “terrorist attacks”, particularly in the Middle East, North Africa and the Arabian Peninsula.

In a statement released on Friday, Washington said it possessed information that al-Qaeda armed group and its affiliates may focus efforts to conduct attacks in the period between now and the end of August.

“Terrorists may elect to use a variety of means and weapons and target both official and private interests”, the statement read.

“US citizens are reminded of the potential for terrorists to attack public transportation systems and other tourist infrastructure. Terrorists have targeted and attacked subway and rail systems, as well as aviation and maritime services.”

The state department said that the travel alert expires on August 31, 2013.

The statement came a day after state department announced it would close an unspecified number of embassies around the world on Sunday over security concerns.

In a written statement, the State Department did not specify which missions have been asked to close, nor the type of threat they face.

The statement said the embassies and consulates that have been told 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.

Officials said the closures could be extended after an evaluation.

In the Muslim world, Sunday is a work day. In other parts of the world US diplomatic offices are shut on Sunday.

Last year on 11 September, the US consulate in Benghazi, Libya, was attacked, leaving four Americans dead.

Other embassies are routinely targets of protesters.

Government offices are nearly always closed in the US on Sunday, which is the start of the work week in many Muslim-majority countries.

The US has been especially cautious about security since an attack on its consulate in Benghazi, Libya on September 11 last year.

The attack killed four Americans, including ambassador Chris Stevens, and led critics in Congress to accuse the state department of insufficient security.

Source: Agencies / THE TIMES OF EARTH