Closure of US embassies after threats by Al-Qaeda
Head of al-Qaeda Ayman al-Zawahri had ordered al-Qaeda’s affiliate in Yemen to carry out an unspecified but imminent attack.
Intercepted conversations between two senior al-Qaeda figures prompted the US close several embassies in the Middle East, North Africa and even Europe.
A wider travel warning for Americans has also been issued.
According to US media sources the man who replaced Osama bin Laden as head of al-Qaeda, Ayman al-Zawahri was electronically picked up ordering the leader of al-Qaeda’s affiliate in Yemen to carry out an unspecified but imminent attack.
“We believe this threat is significant and we are taking it seriously for that reason and are taking the actions that the State Department has announced out of an abundance of caution,” a White House spokesperson said.
In the absence of any mention of a target, 19 US diplomatic missions are remaining closed in the Middle East and North Africa for the rest of this week along with several European embassies.
