US warns of terror threat to citizens
Embassy says extremists might be targeting American interests in SA
EXTREMISTS could be targeting US interests in South Africa, including US government and business facilities, the US embassy in Pretoria said yesterday.
Embassy spokeswoman Cindy Harvey said the embassy had received “specific, credible, non-counterable threat information”, and so had issued a security and emergency message to its citizens on its embassy website.
The statement – under the headline “Terrorist Threat to US Interests in South Africa” – said the embassy “has received information extremists might be targeting US interests in South Africa, to possibly include US government facilities and other facilities identifiable with US business interests. There is no additional information as to timing or potential targeting.
“Review your personal security plans; remain aware and vigilant of your surroundings, including local events; monitor local news stations for updates and follow instructions from local authorities,” the message warned US citizens.
“Be vigilant and take appropriate steps to enhance your personal security.”
Harvey declined to elaborate on the nature of the threat.
She said the State Department had “no higher priority than the protection of US citizens overseas.
“Security messages do not reflect the nature of our bilateral relations with a country. They are part of our commitment to protect US citizens travelling and residing abroad,” she said.
“The US government, as it does in any investigation into terrorist threats against American interests around the world, will co-operate with the South African authorities,” Harvey said.
She advised US citizens in South Africa to enrol their plans on www.travel.state.gov using the Smart Traveler Enrolment Program (STEP) and to read the country specific information also found on the site.
In 2009, all US embassy buildings in South Africa were shut down for three days because of an unspecified terrorist threat.
South African intelligence sources said then they had intercepted messages between members of the extremist Islamist organisation alShabaab in Somalia and its agents in South Africa threatening to attack US embassy interests in revenge for the US killing one of their leaders in Somalia.
The US embassy in Pretoria and its consulates in Joburg, Durban and Cape Town appeared to be operating normally yesterday.
South African intelligence sources said they could not comment yet.
On August 7, 1998, al-Qaeda detonated two huge truck bombs at the US embassies in Nairobi and Dar-es-Salaam, killing 213 in Nairobi and 11 in Dar-es-Salaam. Though the attacks were targeted at the US, most of the dead and about 4 000 injured were locals. Twelve Americans were killed.