Possible al-Qaeda threat closes all US embassies Sunday across Middle East

[alp227]

Source: NBC

The United States is closing all of its embassies Sunday in the Middle East and parts of Asia because of a possible al-Qaeda-related threat to diplomatic posts worldwide, American officials told NBC News on Thursday.

The U.S. 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," said State Department spokeswoman Marie Harf.

She didn't say which or how many embassies would be closed or what kind of information led to the decision, but she said the closings could be extended, "depending on our analysis."

A senior State Department official told NBC News that all embassies that are usually open in Sundays — primarily those in Muslim countries and Israel — would be closed Aug. 4 "out of an abundance of caution." Sunday is a normal workday in those countries.

Read more: http://worldnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/08/01/19820594-possible-al-qaeda-threat-closes-all-us-embassies-sunday-across-middle-east

[dtom67]

1. lemme guess....

"NSA spying Programs prevent Terrorist attack on US embassies. "

Guess those journalism classes were a waste of time...

Are they open on saturday?

This leak is a clear example of aiding the Enemy. Arrest and Torture everyone involved.

[24601]

5. You have confused official policy with a leak and implied motives that just aren't there.

Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar. In this case, threat warnings given to government personnel must also be provided to the public under US policy prohibiting a double standard. It was instituted after some State Department employees chose not to take Pan Am 103. They had access to threat information that was not available to the general public.

Policy reference: http://www.state.gov/documents/organization/86560.pdf

Here's the relevant part: 7 FAM 052.1 Statement of Policy

"In administering the Consular Information Program, the Department of State
applies a “no double standard” policy to important security threat information,
including criminal information."

"Generally, if the Department shares information with the official U.S.
community, it should also make the same or similar information available to
the non-official U.S. community if the underlying threat applies to both
official and non-official U.S. citizens/nationals."

[Bosonic]

2. Swirling Internet Rumor™ #4212566

... is that Israel is teeing up another air-strike on Syria and this time Syria may well strike back. This ripple effect of this possibly also involving US interests (riots/terror rather than Syria).

Some Syria Missiles Eluded Israeli Strike, Officials Say

WASHINGTON — American intelligence analysts have concluded that a recent Israeli airstrike on a warehouse in Syria did not succeed in destroying all of the Russian-made antiship cruise missiles that were its target, American officials said on Wednesday, and that further Israeli strikes are likely.

...

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/01/world/middleeast/syrian-missiles-were-moved-before-israeli-strike-officials-say.html?_r=0

[John2]

3. That is not

the claims that came from the Syrian side. They just recently came out and said Israel's strikes failed because those weapons were never there. They claimed it was a decoy, because they knew well beforehand that israel was going to attack those structures. The claim is those systems are very well secured. The Russian intelligence also made the claim Israel carried out those attacks. I suppose intelligence is going both ways.

The sources on the Syrian side in fact claims, the rebels killed a spy, that was working for Israel and supplied them with information that tipped them off, the rebels were supplying Israel with intelligence reports on the ground. Now that is their claim.

They also claimed Israel did not just ground their F16s because one crashed in the sea, but it was actually shot down and Israel had casualties. The claim is their radar locked on the target. The claim is, it has nothing to do with Hezbullah but Israel is secretly already supporting the rebels and supplying them medical support in the Golan heights, as well as supplying Israeli arms. So the plot thickens as the rebels keep losing more territory to the regime. The claim by the Syrian regime, is the target is not just to get rid of Assad, but Hezbullah, Assad and Iran as the end of the year is approaching. They are behind schedule, because Assad is still there for the Neocons plans. You have to wonder why the Senate Intelligence Committee feels the need to classify their votes from the American people. It is another reason why they don't want to antagonize the Egyptians. It is rummored that President Obama promised Netanyahu, the United States will be ready to go to War with Iran by the end of the year. Syria is the obstacle. Israel is providing the air strikes, which the U.S. can't commit to at the time for obvious reasons. They are doing it under the disquise of Hezbullah getting weapons to threaten israel or it would be illegal in International law for Israel to carry out what is an obvious aggression on another state. The Syrians maintain those weapons are legal and for their defense against Israel and the United States. It depends on the side you agree with. It should give Syria every right to strike back at the Israelis.

[dipsydoodle]

4. The US has also issued a worldwide air travel warning until 31st August.

Aside from that the UK has closed the Yemen embassy for two days so it may be Yemen related.

http://www.thestar.com/news/world/2013/08/02/al_qaeda_threat_prompts_worldwide_travel_warning.html