REPORT: US cites al-Qaeda threat in global travel warning

         
The United States has issued an extraordinary global travel warning to Americans about the threat of an al-Qaeda attack and closed down 21 embassies and consulates across the Muslim world for the weekend.                

The alert was the first of its kind since an announcement preceding the 10th anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.                

An attack last year on a U.S. diplomatic post in Benghazi, Libya, on Sept. 11 killed the ambassador and three other Americans.                 

The warning said al-Qaeda or its allies might target either U.S. government or private American interests. The alert expires on Aug. 31.                 

The New York Times reported Friday night that American officials said the U.S. had intercepted electronic communications among senior operatives of al-Qaeda.                          

The State Department said the potential for terrorism was particularly acute in the Middle East and North Africa, with a possible attack occurring on or coming from the Arabian Peninsula.                     

US officials pointed specifically to Yemen, the home of al-Qaeda's most dangerous offshoot and the network blamed for several notable terrorist plots on the United States.                      

The State Department urged U.S. travelers to take extra precautions overseas, citing potential dangers involved with public transportation systems and other prime sites for tourists. It noted that previous terrorist attacks have centered on subway and rail networks as well as airplanes and boats.                 

The alert was posted a day after the U.S. announced it would shut many diplomatic facilities Sunday. Spokeswoman Marie Harf said some missions may stay closed for longer than a day.        


AP