US warns its citizens of possible terror attacks in SA
Johannesburg
- The United States government has warned about terror attacks by Islamic
militants on Americans in South Africa, but said it would keep its embassy and
consulates open.
In an alert issued on Saturday, the US government said it had "received information that terrorist groups are planning to carry out near-term attacks against places where US citizens congregate in South Africa, such as upscale shopping areas and malls in Johannesburg and Cape Town".
"This information comes against the backdrop of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant’s public call for its adherents to carry out terrorist attacks globally during the upcoming month of Ramadan."
US Embassy spokesperson Cynthia Harvey said: "Protection of US citizens overseas is among our top priorities. When we receive specific, credible, non-counterable threat information, it is our worldwide policy for US embassies and consulates to share the information.
"We are co-operating with local authorities, as we do in any investigation into terrorist threats around the world."
She said US citizens were advised to enroll their international travel plans on a government web site.
"There will be no change to operations at US Embassy Pretoria or our Consulates in Durban, Cape Town, and Johannesburg," she said.
The US issued a similar alert in September last year, but the South African State Security Agency said they had no such information and that there was no need to panic.