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Jordan Plays Down U.S. Warning on Terrorist Attacks
Jordanian officials on Friday played down a warning from the United States embassy in Amman that U.S. citizens and the embassy itself might be potential targets of terrorist attacks in the kingdom.
Minister of Tourism and Antiquities Akel Biltaji described the embassy warning as "routine alerts" issued by U.S. embassies in most regions of the world, and that there was nothing new in terms of threats to justify such a statement in the kingdom.
Biltaji and other Jordanian officials renewed their confidence in the ability of the security and intelligence forces to protect Jordanian citizens and foreigners in the kingdom.
The U.S. embassy posted the warning on Thursday on its Internet homepage, saying the U.S. government had information concerning terrorist targeting of the embassy in Amman, and possible attacks on American targets in other venues could not be ruled out.
The statement asked U.S. citizens travelling or residing in the kingdom to exercise prudence, review their security practices, avoid crowds, keep a low profile and vary routines and time of all required travels.
After the warning, Jordanian security forces have apparently beefed up the security of the already heavily guarded U.S. embassy in the affluent Abdoun area in southern Amman.
Similar warnings were issued by the U.S. government and the U.S. embassy in Amman last december, when Jordanian police rounded up 14 suspected terrorists who allegedly sneaked into the kingdom with forged travel documents to sabotage new millenium celebrations.
The prosecution said the suspects, believed to have links with Afghanistan-based Saudi-expelled billionaire Osama Laden, had planned attacks on American and Israeli targets during the new year celebrations.
Laden is the most wanted suspect by Washington which has accused him of masterminding the 1998 bombings of the U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania, killing over 200 people.
However, no serious attacks on American targets were reported in Jordan in recent memory.
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