Al-Qaeda Threat Causes US Travel Alert Worldwide Until End Of August, Terrorist Targeting of US interests Abroad Suggest Smaller Aspirations Of Group Since 9/11
The al-Qaeda threat directed at U.S. embassies in the Middle East and North Africa has forced the United States to issue a worldwide travel alert, warning Americans that al-Qaeda could be planning attacks this month, Euro News reports.
The State Department's decision is based on the same intelligence that prompted the closure of 21 US embassies and consulates on Sunday, the website reports.
The alert called on American travelers to take additional precautions overseas, and to especially be careful around public transportation systems and other likely locations for tourists, NBC News reports. It said that previous terrorist attacks have targeted subway and rail networks as well as airplanes and boats.
US officials say there is no specific target related to the travel alert, and that the threat applies more broadly to Western interests, Euro News notes
The targeting of these Western interests, instead of the American homeland, shows the contraction of al-Qaeda's aspirations since 9/11, The Christian Science Monitor suggests.
"While Al Qaeda has by some measures become larger since 9/11, it has become less cohesive, according to a recent study by the RAND Corp., a defense and security consultancy. This means that the goals and capabilities of the various branches have shifted from attacking the American homeland to achieving narrower goals," The Christian Science Monitor reports.
"They want to establish Islamic emirates in specific countries or regions, though they may be agnostic about a broader violent jihad," RAND terrorism expert Seth Jones said in congressional testimony last month.
According to The Christian Science Monitor, the threat is meant to coincide with the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, which wraps up with the celebration of Eid on Wednesday night.
"This is not an indication of a new threat stream, merely an indication of our commitment to exercise caution and take appropriate steps to protect our employees including local employees and visitors to our facilities," the State Department said in a statement.
