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U.S. closes embassy in Syria after terror alert

SPECIAL TO WORLD TRIBUNE.COM
Friday, November 5, 2004

The United States has closed its embassy in Syria because of an alert of an Islamic attack.

U.S. officials said the embassy was closed on Thursday for an unspecified period in wake of an alert that the facility could come under attack by Islamic groups linked to Iran. The officials said that over the weekend visitors would not be allowed entry into the embassy and that security would be increased.

The closing of the embassy took place on the 25th anniversary of the start of the U.S. hostage siege in Iran. The U.S. embassy has been attacked several times by mobs over the last six years.

An embassy statement cited security reasons for the closing of the embassy. The statement did not cite a specific threat, Middle East Newsline reported.

"We will announce in a future message the reopening of the embassy,'' the statement said.

In Damascus, Syrian President Bashar Assad sent congratulations to George Bush on his re-election. In his message, Assad urged Bush for help to achieve Middle East peace in accordance with international resolutions.

"I have great hope that serious dialogue, commitment to the principles upon which the United States was founded and honoring of international resolutions help boost relations between our two countries and open the way for working together to achieve just and comprehensive peace in the Middle East," Assad said in his letter to Bush.


Copyright © 2004 East West Services, Inc.

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