US extends terror alert
2003-09-13 09:35
Washington - The United States on Friday extended a warning of "high potential" for terrorist attacks targetting US citizens and interests throughout East Africa, particularly Kenya.
The State Department said in a statement it believed a "credible" threat of attacks existed, and advised those planning travel to East Africa to carefully review their plans.
"The threat to aircraft by terrorists using shouder-fired missiles continues in Kenya, including Nairobi. Seaports may also be targeted. Other East African countries face similar threats," a statement said.
"Supporters of al-Qaeda and other extremists are active in East Africa. Americans in the region must remain vigilant with regard to their personal security and exercise caution," it went on.
"Terrorist actions may include suicide operations, bombings, or kidnappings," the statement added, warning that "soft" targets such as hotels, clubs and restaurants were vulnerable to attack.
"Americans in remote areas or border regions where military or police authority is limited or non-existent could also be targets of attacks or kidnappings," the statement said.
The warning superceded a May 14 announcement by the State Department following triple suicide bombings that killed eight Americans and 26 others at expatriate housing compounds in Riyadh, reigniting US terrorism fears.
That attack prompted the State Department to order its non-essential diplomats and the families of all embassy and consulate personnel to leave Saudi Arabia and renew advice for US citizens to consider departing.
The previous warning also noted a deadly November 2002 car bomb attack on an Israeli-owned hotel in the Kenyan seaside resort Mombasa, and an unsuccessful attempt to shoot down and Israeli airliner there with rockets on the same day.
The threat of attacks of that nature remain throughout the region, it said.
Washington is particularly sensitive to al-Qaeda activity in East Africa since the group blew up the US embassies in Kenya and Tanzania in August 1998 in the first of its synchronized attacks, killing 224 people, including 12 Americans, and injuring more than 5 000 others.