US missions across the Middle East and Africa will be closed through August 10 after US spies found what lawmakers fear is the most serious threat of an al Qaeda attack in years. The US State Department, acting "out of an abundance of caution," said 19 diplomatic outposts would be shuttered through Saturday. Britain said its embassy in Yemen would remain closed until the end of the Muslim festival of Eid, the climax of the holy month of Ramazan, "due to continuing security concerns." France also said its mission there would remain shut until Thursday.
Eid is due to end at the weekend. On Saturday, the global police agency Interpol added to fears by issuing a security alert over hundreds of militants freed in jailbreaks. The US closure list includes 15 embassies or consulates that were already shut on Sunday due to security fears, as well as four additional posts. At least 25 US missions had initially been ordered closed. US lawmakers on Sunday said the move was prompted by electronic intercepts of high-ranking al Qaeda operatives signalling a major attack.
The intercepts were "probably one of the most specific and credible threats I've seen, perhaps, since 9/11," said Michael McCaul, chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee. An attack appeared to be "imminent," possibly timed to coincide with the last night of Ramadan, McCaul told CBS. Saxby Chambliss, vice chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, said there has been "an awful lot of chatter" among terrorists about planning an attack, all "very reminiscent of what we saw pre-9/11".
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