AMMAN — The U.S. embassy has warned Americans of the prospect of an
Al Qaida strike in Jordan.
Diplomats said the Al Qaida attack on French nationals in Saudi Arabia
on Feb. 26 could be repeated in Jordan. They said the embassy has received
intelligence that indicated a similar strike in the Hashemite kingdom.
"From time to time the U.S. embassy receives threat information relevant
to Americans and Westerners in Jordan," the U.S. embassy said in a warden
message on Feb. 27.
Four French nationals, two of them Muslims, were killed in an Al Qaida
attack near Medina in northwestern Saudi Arabia, Middle East Newsline reported. In wake of the shooting,
Western embassies in Saudi Arabia have declared an alert.
The U.S. embassy in Jordan urged Americans to maintain a high level of
vigilance and increase their security awareness. The warden message said
attacks against Americans could take place at tourist sites, hotels,
restaurants, bars, nightclubs, liquor stores, transportation hubs, places of
worship, expatriate residential areas and schools.
U.S. diplomats and government staffers in Jordan were urged to avoid
contact with any suspicious or unfamiliar objects and report this to local
authorities. The embassy advised American visitors to do the same.
"In light of these security concerns, U.S. citizens are urged to
maintain a high level of vigilance and to be aware of their surroundings,"
the embassy said. "It is especially important for travelers
to be unpredictable by varying their times and routes and to maintain a low
profile."
